LINDSEY STUSS GILLEN,
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES & MARKETING – BUSINESS AVIATION, ROLLS-ROYCE

PROFILE: LINDSEY STUSS GILLEN

Lindsey joined Rolls-Royce in 2012 and is currently the Vice President, of Sales & Marketing – Business Aviation. In her role she is responsible for leading the global Sales & Marketing Team and driving growth of their aftermarket maintenance programme, CorporateCare^® Enhanced.

Throughout Lindsey’s tenure at Rolls-Royce she has served in a variety of roles within Sales and Finance. Having started as a finance intern, she has held finance positions across many different sectors including Group, Defense, and Civil Aerospace. In 2018, Lindsey joined the Business Aviation team as the Sales Director supporting CorporateCare^® customers in Central US. In this role she was a key player in negotiating contracts with large US fleet operators and launching new service offerings including CorporateCare^® Enhanced and CorporateCare Flex.

Lindsey holds a Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana and has her MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University. She currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jayant Baranwal (Baranwal): Please can you take us through your journey of six decades of your association with the Business Aviation industry?

Lindsey Stuss Gillen (Gillen): From the beginning in 1958, which was marked by the first flight of the Dart-powered Gulfstream I, through to the imminent entry into service of the Pearl-powered Gulfstream G800, Rolls-Royce has followed a pioneering approach to offer its customers extraordinary engine technology and services.

Over the last six decades Rolls-Royce has become the world’s leading engine supplier in business aviation, powering some of the largest, fastest and longest-range business jets available. Today more than 4,000 of these aircraft are in service worldwide, helping companies to improve business efficiency, productivity and enabling economic growth. They offer the flexibility and connectivity required in a globalized world, fly heads of states around the globe, support humanitarian efforts or connect families by making the world a smaller place.

Baranwal: How many business jets have been powered by your engines, till now?

Gillen: Over 4,000 Rolls-Royce powered aircraft are in-service and flying worldwide today, offering the perfect combination of speed, range, size, efficiency and reliability.

Baranwal: Rolls-Royce is synonymous with the Quality. What all it takes to remain consistent with such line of expectation in today’s cost-competitive world?

Gillen: Safety and quality always have been our utmost priorities. Over time we have positioned ourselves as the leading brand in the attractive large cabin market, along with leading products and technology capability.

However, Rolls-Royce continues to create a high performing, competitive, resilient and growing business and we are on track to deliver returns above the industry average in a resilient and growing market. To achieve this, we are also further reducing unit cost.

Baranwal: What kind of efforts go into the R&D in order to remain current and absolutely relevant with the continuous evolving Business Jets industry?

Gillen: Our continued and sustainable investment in R&D is a key focus to stay competitive and keep our market-leading position. One example for this strategy is our Pearl engine family.

The Pearl family of engines combines innovative technologies derived from Rolls-Royce’s Advance2 technology demonstrator programs with proven features from the Rolls-Royce BR700. Its pioneering technology, combined with outstanding performance, is supporting our customers Bombardier, Dassault and Gulfstream in reaching new standards in the ultralong-range corporate jet market.

Baranwal: How many engine families do you offer to the industry? And what are the fundamental differences between each of them?

Gillen: If we are talking about the OEM business Rolls-Royce currently builds new engines from its BR700 and Pearl engine family. Due to the generational change, we are seeing further growing production numbers of the latter, while BR700 deliveries will decline over time.

If we are talking about business aviation services, we are supporting mainly four engine families – AE 3007, TAY, BR700 and the Pearl family. Each of these engines support a different airframe to support our business aviation customer’s needs. The AE3007 engines power the Citation X/X+ as well as the Embraer Legacy 600 & 650 aircraft, the TAY611-8 & 8C aircraft power the Gulfstream GIV, GIV-SP & G450 aircraft, the BR710 engines power the Bombardier Global Express, Global XRS, Global 5000 & 6000 aircraft as well as the Gulfstream GV & G550 platforms, the BR725 engines power the Gulfstream G650/G650ER aircraft and our latest Pearl engines power the Bombardier Global 5500 & 6500 aircraft with the Pearl 15, the Pearl 10X will power the Dassault Falcon 10X once it enters into service and the Pearl 700 powers the Gulfstream G700 and its sister model G800. The difference between them is thrust, efficiency and performance.

Baranwal: What are some special factors of the Pearl Engines Family?

Gillen: The Pearl engine family brings together innovative technologies derived from the Rolls-Royce Advance2 technology demonstrator programs with proven features from the Rolls-Royce BR700, today’s leading engine family in business aviation. Our latest engine, the Pearl 700, combines the most efficient engine core available across the business aviation sector with a brand-new low-pressure system, resulting in an 8% increase in take-off thrust at 18,250lb compared to the BR725 engine. The engine offers a leading thrust-to-weight ratio and 5% higher efficiency, while maintaining its class-leading low noise and emissions performance. All this while propelling customers nearly as fast as the speed of sound.

Key technologies of the new Pearl engine family include a highly-efficient blisked fan, a high pressure compressor with a market-leading pressure ratio of 24:1 and six blisked stages, an ultra-low emissions combustor with 3D-printed combustor tiles, a two-stage shroud-less high pressure turbine and an enhanced four -stage low pressure turbine, that is one of the most efficient and compact in the industry.

“Over 4,000 Rolls-Royce powered aircraft are in-service and flying worldwide today, offering the perfect combination of speed, range, size, efficiency and reliability”

The Pearl engine family is part of the Rolls-Royce IntelligentEngine vision of a future where product and service become indistinguishable thanks to advancements in digital capability. As well as a new-generation Engine Health Monitoring Unit (EVHMU) that introduces advanced vibration detection, the family benefits from the incorporation of advanced remote engine diagnostics. It is also enabled for bidirectional communications, allowing for easy remote reconfiguration of engine-monitoring features from the ground. Cloud-based analytics, smart algorithms and Artificial Intelligence continue to play an increasing role in delivering exceptional levels of availability and greater peace of mind for our customers.

Baranwal: Can you give us some details on CorporateCare Enhanced? What all benefits do you offer to your customers around the globe ensuring timely solutions?

Gillen: CorporateCare Enhanced is a comprehensive cost per engine flight hour maintenance program designed to cover Rolls-Royce powered Business Aviation aircraft. Launched in 2019, CorporateCare Enhanced is the most-comprehensive coverage, giving customers the ultimate peace of mind. The program covers corrosion, erosion, labor, troubleshooting, mobile repair and more for all engine programmes and on the BR700 & Pearl family engines it now even includes full coverage of the powerplant including the nacelle components like the cowl doors and thrust reversers for parts and labor including corrosion. The unique coverage under CorporateCare Enhanced goes further and is recognized in the industry with over 1,500 aircraft on the program.

Not only is the programme covering for associated maintenance events, but it is also providing aircraft availability for our customers. We have a dedicated support network under CorporateCare Enhanced to support our 3,000+ customers should an event arise. We have the biggest and most powerful service network in the world which includes 85+ Authorized Service Centers, 10 CorporateCare parts stores, 250 lease engine and nacelle assets, about 80 On- Wing Service Technicians, a dedicated 24/7 Operational Service Desk and customer support located across the globe to support our customers wherever and whenever they fly.

Baranwal: Business Aviation industry is abuzz about the Sustainability goals. What is the roadmap Rolls-Royce is pursuing on this front? Can you kindly elaborate SAFinity programme a little for us?

Gillen: Rolls-Royce is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 within our own operations and supporting the achievement of net zero within the Business Aviation industry.

This will be realized via the strategic pillars below:

• Continue to improve the gas turbine (eg Pearl family)
• Collaborate on drop-in SAFs (100% SAF compatibility)
• Develop radical alternatives such as hydrogen and electrification (Pearl 15 tests on hydrogen; more electric engines)

In 2023 Rolls-Royce completed a series of tests with 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), that demonstrated once again that all Rolls-Royce in-production Trent and business aviation engines are compatible with 100% SAF, laying the groundwork for moving this type of fuel towards certification. The testing has involved a variety of ground and flight tests to replicate in-service conditions, with one of the highlights being the first 100% SAF business aviation flight on the BR725-powered Gulfstream G650. All tests confirmed the use of 100% SAF does not affect engine performance. Net CO₂ lifecycle emissions of unblended SAFs are up to 80% lower than conventional fuel.

“Rolls-Royce is a true pioneer in of Business Aviation, working to create the most innovative and technologically advanced products in the market. Our Pearl engines are the exact definition of leading the way for another generation.”

Rolls-Royce is also carrying out a research project that aims to study hydrogen as an aviation fuel and the required combustion engine technology. This includes a comprehensive series of rig and engine tests to prove the fuel can safely and efficiently deliver power for small-mid size aircraft. The next stage of testing – a gaseous hydrogen ground test on a full Pearl engine – is planned to be conducted this year.

Baranwal: What kind of role do you foresee out of Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Or if you can please elaborate a little in case it is already contributing?

Gillen: Rolls-Royce is undergoing a bold transformation to become a highperforming, competitive, resilient, and growing business. Digital and AI are at the heart of this transformation, accelerating engineering innovation, driving operational excellence and unlocking new levels of value. Whilst we’re already seeing clear benefits—whether in engine design, operations, or customer solutions—there’s still much more to unlock.

HOW DIGITAL & AI ARE CREATING IMPACT

• Faster, More Efficient Design: Model based systems engineering and AI-driven automation is already accelerating engine design, reducing manual work and driving faster time to market. Data-driven engineering enhances performance while delivering efficiencies.
• Smarter, More Agile Manufacturing: Signature Analyzer – an AI-powered inspection of cooling holes in our turbine blades - has boosted machine utilization by 30%, reduced scrap, and unlocked £24 million in efficiency gains.
  Digitally connected machines allow us to optimize scheduling and inventory management; helping us avoid unnecessary capital investment in machinery.
  Digital inventory management and predictive analytics are optimizing production, reducing downtime, and increasing precision.
• Revolutionising Operations & Maintenance: AI-driven Engine Health Monitoring tracks thousands of engine parameters in real time, reducing unplanned downtime and improving fleet performance. Predictive maintenance and real-time data insights enhance reliability, minimize shop visits, and optimize service for customers.
• Empowering Our People: We are investing to transform our working environment with the right digital tools to augment – not replace – employee expertise. Through digital and AI we will accelerate decision making, streamline operations and enhance product performance.

Baranwal: The 3D Printing, an additive manufacturing process, has been very much talked about subject of-lately. a. Should we presume this is contributing effectively for the Engines powering Business Jets?

Gillen: The combustor of our Pearl 10X business jet engine features cooling holes that can, remarkably, turn back on themselves in a loop and then fan out onto their combustor tiles. Why is this important? Because performing that loop means the cooling air picks up the heat from the tiles in the most effective way and the fan-shaped hole exit generate a uniform protective film of air on the hot combustor tile surface. And ALM allows those holes to be created where they couldn’t be done before. The outcome? More efficient combustor cooling, a reduction in turbine “hot spots” and lower emissions.

We were driven to bring ALM to the combustor because we knew there was a great environmental benefit – created by being able to run the combustor hotter and use less cooling air on components in the process. Combustion is the first hot section of the engine where we can take advantage of ALM to do that.

And we knew that could be achieved through ALM because it allows us to create ever more complex cooling holes and do them in ways that would be impossible through traditional machining. This has always been the engineering allure of 3-D printing – to create complex structures relatively simply and without waste.

“CorporateCare Enhanced is the most-comprehensive coverage, giving customers the ultimate peace of mind”

In some cases, we’ve been able to create holes that actually double back on themselves and then split up into a fan shape as they exit onto the tile. The reason? The double back actually slows the air down – and that allows the air to actually “pick up” more heat from the tile. And the fan shape allows that air, which is still cooler than the gas path of course, to form a more even barrier. We pay no penalty for creating holes, it’s just melting less material, and we can put them where we want to.

Baranwal: As one of the most important Business Aviation OEMs in the world, how would you define the various factors reiterating the importance of Business Aviation?

Gillen: The general aviation industry is a significant economic contributor to the global economy, as seen in reports published by GAMA, EBAA and others. Today, more than 4,000 Rolls-Royce powered business aircraft are in service worldwide, helping companies to improve business efficiency, productivity and enabling economic growth. They offer flexibility and connectivity, flying heads of states around the globe, supporting humanitarian efforts and connecting families by making the world a smaller place. Our engines enable airframers to offer the perfect combination of speed, range, size, efficiency and reliability.

Rolls-Royce is a true pioneer in of Business Aviation, working to create the most innovative and technologically advanced products in the market. Our Pearl engines are the exact definition of leading the way for another generation. We support our customers with our leading engine maintenance programme, CorporateCare Enhanced, which provides a piece of mind and saves our customers their most valuable asset – time. That’s why we strive to provide the best product, service and availability network to support our customers should an incident arise whenever or wherever they are in the world.