Aeroflot To Power A320 Fleet With CFM56-5B

February 10, 2003

EVENDALE, OHIO February 10, 2003 Aeroflot has selected the CFM56-5B engine to power its new fleet of 18 Airbus A319/A320 aircraft in an engine order valued at approximately $180 million.

CFM56-5B engines are produced by CFM International (CFM). CFM, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group) of France and General Electric Company, is the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines with nearly 16,000 firm CFM56 engine orders from 350 customers worldwide.

Aeroflot ordered the new short-to-medium range A320 aircraft as part of its fleet restructuring program and plans to use the planes on its routes throughout Europe. The Russian flag-carrier, which will begin taking delivery in late 2003, has been a CFM customer since 1998, when it took delivery of its first CFM56-powered 737. The airline currently operates 10 737s.

As the only engine that can power every model of the A320 family with the same bill of materials, the CFM56-5B provides airlines a distinct commonality advantage, in addition to the lowest cost of operation on this application. The CFM56-5 continues to be the engine of choice for the Airbus A320 family, having been selected to power 56 percent of all A318/A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered to date. One of the primary factors behind the CFM56-5's broad-based market acceptance has been its simple, rugged architecture, which gives it the highest reliability, durability, and repairability in its class. CFM56-5 engines average nearly 17,000 flight hours before an initial shop visit.

Jamie Jewell



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jamie.jewell@ge.com

Charles Soret



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+33 (0)6.31.60.96.79

charles.soret@safrangroup.com

Perry Bradley



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Talal Ahmed Almahmood


+973 173 3819


talal.almahmood@gulfair.com