In early 2025, CFM shipped the 1,000th set of its newest high-pressure turbine (HPT) blade for CFM56-5B and -7B engines that power Airbus A320ceo family and Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, respectively.
The enhanced blade improves both reliability and durability and will provide up to 25 percent longer life in certain operating environments.
“An improvement of this magnitude for mature engines is a testament not only to CFM’s engineering know-how, but also our understanding of the CFM56 engine as a complete system,” said Gaël Méheust, CFM president and CEO. “Operators are pleased we have brought this new blade to the market, and demand rising at overhaul shops around the world.”
For CFM56 engines, new material is one of several aftermarket solutions from CFM and its sister company, CFM Materials. The former has more than 1,000 repairs each for CFM56-5B and -7B engines – many of which are licensed to third-party shops around the world – while the latter has the world’s largest portfolio of used CFM56 serviceable material (USM).
“CFM Materials offers a variety of part-, module-, and engine-level solutions which support competitive operating costs for CFM engines,” said Rudy Bryce, president and CEO of CFM Materials. “These solutions include options for MRO shops to use USM in their workscopes, for airlines to lease green-time engines, and for owners to sell surplus material and engines. With warehouses and people in the Americas, Europe, and Asia, we can quickly deploy USM to CFM56 operators worldwide.”
Méheust added: “All these solutions are about making sure our customers retain the high reliability and durability that they’ve come to expect from CFM56 engines. CFM’s continuing investment in this space means our operators see extended time on wing, lower operating costs, and higher residual values for their assets.”
CFM56 advanced high-pressure turbine blade.