CFM Also Logs Orders For More Than 160 CFM56-7B Engines For Boeing 737s

As part of what may be the largest single firm aircraft order in aviation history, AirAsia announced Friday that it has selected CFM International's advanced LEAP engine to power 200 Airbus A320neo aircraft. The airline is scheduled to begin taking delivery in 2016. The company also announced that it has secured orders for 160 CFM56-7B engines from Boeing for its Next Generation B737s

To support the new LEAP-powered A320neo fleet, AirAsia has also signed a 20-year RPFH (Rate per Flight Hour) agreement with CFM to provide comprehensive engine maintenance service. Under the terms of this agreement, CFM will guarantee maintenance costs on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.

"LEAP is absolutely the right engine for our A320neo aircraft," said Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia. "We did an exhaustive evaluation before making our decision and the technical superiority of this engine speaks for itself. LEAP technology will enable us to realize double-digit improvements in fuel burn, emissions, and noise, which will have a huge impact our bottom line and fuel our future growth. When you add to that our decade of experience with CFM and the company's unrivaled reputation for delivering on it promises, the choice was an easy one to make."

"We are both honored and excited to launch this next phase of our relationship with AirAsia," said Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM. "We believe that all of the benefits of LEAP technology, including better fuel burn and an improved environmental footprint with CFM's industry-leading reliability and low maintenance costs, will have a very positive impact on AirAsia's operational efficiency and help fuel their continued growth long-term."

On the Boeing side, the company reports the total value of those engine orders to be approximately $1.6 billion U.S. at list price.

CFM56

Orders announced at the Paris Air Show last week include:

• UTair Aviation ordered 33 Boeing737-800s and seven 737-900ER aircraft.
• Malaysia Airlines exercised options to purchase 10 737-800 aircraft.
• Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (Norwegian) ordered 15 737-800 aircraft.
• Air Lease Corporate announced its plan to purchase 14 737-800s.
• MIAT Mongolian Airlines orders two 737-800s.

All of the aircraft will be powered by the CFM56-7BE, which is the new production configuration for the engine and is on schedule to enter commercial service in July 2011. The CFM56-7BE-powered Next-Generation 737 enhanced airplane/engine combination will provide a 2 percent improvement in fuel consumption, which, in turn, equates to a 2 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the enhanced -7B will provide up to 4 percent lower maintenance costs, depending on the thrust rating.
 
CFM is using advanced computer codes and three-dimensional design techniques to improve airfoils in the high- and low-pressure turbines to improve engine performance. In addition, CFM is improving engine durability and reducing parts count to achieve lower maintenance costs.

FMI: www.cfm56.com