10,000 CFM56 Engines On Order Worldwide; CFMI Logs $5.5 Billion In Orders In 1996

February 3, 1997

CFM International (CFMI), a 50/50 joint company of Snecma (Safran Group) of France and General Electric of the United States, is the world's largest aircraft engine manufacturer. Since 1979, the company has received firm purchase orders for 10,045 engines from 216 customers worldwide.

1996 proved to be CFMI's most successful year ever as the company logged orders for 1,280 CFM56 engines at a value of $5.5 billion. These engine orders, which are more than double those received in 1995, represent 61 percent of all orders placed last year. Overall, CFM56 engines have been ordered to power 40 percent of all commercial aircraft with a capacity of 100 passengers or more, including aircraft for which these engines are not offered.

"Our airline customers have brought about an impressive turn in the market," said Grard Laviec, CFM International's president and CEO. "As a result, they have positioned themselves well for continued growth, and we're gratified that our product will be such an integral part of this growth."

Some of the larger orders CFMI received in 1996 include:

• American Airlines placed a $750 million order for CFM56-7 engines to power 75 firm Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. The airline also reserved purchase rights on an additional 425 aircraft.



• Continental Airlines placed firm orders for CFM56-3 and CFM56-7 engines to power 30 Boeing 737-500 and 78 Boeing 737-600 aircraft, respectively. These orders are valued at more than $1 billion.



• TAP Air Portugal placed a $200 million order for CFM56-5B/P engines to power 24 firm and option Airbus Industrie A319/A320 aircraft. The CFM56-5B/P is the fourth CFM56 model introduced into TAP's fleet. The airline currently operates CFM56-3, CFM56-5A, and CFM56-5C aircraft.



• Jet Airways, India's largest and most successful private operator, placed a $100 million order for CFM56-3 and CFM56-7 engines to power a total of 10 new Boeing 737-400 and 737-800 aircraft, respectively.



• GATX: CFM56-5 and -7 engines to power 7 Airbus A320/A321 and 10 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, respectively. These orders were valued at more than $200 million.



• Northwest Airlines: CFM56-5A engines to power 20 new Airbus A320s at a value to CFMI of $230 million. This order brought Northwest's fleet to 70 A320s.



• International Lease Finance Corporation: brought its CFM56-powered fleet to nearly 350 aircraft with an order for CFM56-5 engines to power 10 Airbus Industrie A320 and A340 aircraft at a value of more than $250 million.



• GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS): more than $2 billion in orders for CFM56 engines to power nearly 300 firm and option Airbus Industrie A319/A320/A321, Airbus A340, and new Boeing 737s jetliners.

The CFM56-5 has been chosen to power 60 percent of the Airbus A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered this year. Overall, the -5 has been selected for about two-thirds of the A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered since the program was launched. The CFM56-7 is the exclusive powerplant for the new Boeing 737-600/-700/-800 series. Since its launch in 1993, the Next-Generation 737 has become the fastest-selling engine/aircraft combination in aviation history. Announced orders currently stand at 507 aircraft.

Due to the flood of new orders in recent years, the CFM56 engine production rate will more than double to nearly 930 engines in 1998, compared to the 443 engines produced in 1996. With 8,000 CFM56 engines in service, a CFM56-powered aircraft takes off every 7 seconds. Overall, the company has received orders and commitments for more than 12,000 engines valued at more than $50 billion.