LE BOURGET — 17 June 2015 — Canadian flag carrier Air Canada has signed a long-term Rate per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement with CFM to support 122 LEAP-1B engines powering the airline’s 61 Boeing 737 MAX airplanes it ordered in 2014.
Under the terms of the 20-year agreement, CFM will guarantee maintenance costs for the entire Air Canada LEAP-1B fleet on a rate per engine flight hour basis.
“Ensuring that our LEAP engines are maintained to the highest standards is an important element in getting the most from investment in our new 737 MAX fleet “said Klaus Goersch, Air Canada executive vice president and COO. “CFM has proven itself to be a great partner for Air Canada and we know that this agreement will help us keep maintenance costs in check.”
The airline, which has been a CFM operator since 1990 and currently operates a fleet of 89 CFM56-powered aircraft, also has options and rights to purchase for an additional 96 LEAP-1B engines. The airline is scheduled to begin taking delivery in 2017.
“We are honored to remain an integral part of the Air Canada team," said Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM International. "CFM is committed to providing industry-leading performance, as well as world class support.”
“We appreciate the trust that Air Canada has put in us to help them achieve their long-term cost of ownership goals,” said Kevin McAllister, president & CEO of CFM parent company GE Aviation Services. “We already have an incredibly strong partnership and will only get better with time.”
The LEAP-1B engine, which is the sole powerplant for the Boeing 737 MAX family, promises to be the most advanced, reliable, fuel-efficient powerplant for the new generation of single-aisle aircraft. The engine incorporates many industry firsts, including the 3-D woven carbon fiber composite fan blade and case; the one-of-a-kind debris rejection system; fourth-generation 3-D aerodynamics; the first commercial use of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs); the revolutionary combustor design featuring fuel nozzles grown using additive manufacturing; and light-weight Titanium Aluminide airfoils. The lower weight and higher durability these components provide will result in a 15 percent improvement in fuel efficiency, with an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions; a 50 percent margin to new emissions regulations; a dramatically lower noise signature; CFM’s industry-leading reliability and low overall operating costs.
About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada's largest domestic and international airline serving more than 190 destinations on five continents. Canada's flag carrier is among the 20 largest airlines in the world and in 2014 served more than 38 million customers. Air Canada provides scheduled passenger service directly to 64 Canadian cities, 52 destinations in the United States and 78 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and South America. Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network serving 1,321 airports in 193 countries. Air Canada is the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking according to independent U.K. research firm Skytrax. For more information, please visit: www.aircanada.ca
About CFM International
CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran) and GE, is the world’s leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines. Through May 2015, it had garnered orders for more than 8,900 LEAP engines. For more information, visit us at www.cfmaeroengines.com or follow us on Twitter @CFM_engines.