Legendary engine maker Rolls-Royce has a new baby and they’re pushing it to market in a green wheelbarrow. They want modern planes to fly with propeller engines just like they used to. Or at least, kind of like they used to. Rolls has a new turboprop engine with a double rotor and new blade shape.

The company claims the design could cut an airline’s fuel bills and greenhouse gas emissions by 30%. “We’re talking about saving $3m or 10,000 tonnes of CO2 per year per aircraft if you introduce an open-rotor on to a 100-200-seater aircraft,” said Mark Taylor, an engineer at Rolls-Royce who is leading a project to design the next generation of aircraft engines.

The main reason modern commercial aircraft use jets is because of a lower sound profile. With markets demanding economy and efficiency over comfort you may take your next flight being pulled through the air by a turboprop.

Rolls-Royce brings propeller engines back in vogue – The Guardian