Etihad Airways said it had signed a deal worth $950 million with Rolls-Royce for engines to power Airbus planes, including four of the mammoth A380 double-deckers.

An Etihad spokesman said the 48 engines included 24 for 12 twin-engined Airbus A330-200s, 16 for the 4-engined A380s and eight spares. Rolls-Royce will also provide 10 years of maintenance under the deal, which will begin deliveries in January 2006.
“Etihad becomes the sixth airline to select Rolls-Royce power for the A380, taking total Trent 900 orders to 84 firm and option aircraft, and giving the engine a 51 per cent market share,” Rolls-Royce said in a statement.
Rolls-Royce competes against a joint venture involving General Electric and United Technologies Corp unit Pratt & Whitney for engine orders for the 555-seat A380, which is due to enter service next year as the world’s largest airliner.