HAMBURG, Germany October 9, 2003 In a ceremony here today, Air France took delivery of its first CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A318. Air France launched the CFM56-powered version of this aircraft in 1999 with an order for 15 firm, 10 option aircraft.
The airline is scheduled to take delivery of five A318s this year, with the remaining firm deliveries scheduled before the end of 2006.
Air France's aircraft are powered by the CFM56-5B model. CFM56 engines are produced by CFM International (CFM). CFM is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group) of France and General Electric Company and is the world's leading supplier of aircraft engines for commercial and military transport aircraft. Nearly 14,000 engines have been delivered to date and are in service with nearly 380 customers.
Air France, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, is CFM's biggest European customer. Since Airbus launched the program, Air France has been the first airline to place the A319, A320, and A321 each into revenue service. With today's delivery, it becomes the first airlne to operate all models of the A320 family. The airline's entire A320 fleet one of the largest in service, with nearly 120 airplanes flying is powered by the CFM56-5.
Overall, the CFM56-5 engine has been chosen to power nearly 60 percent of the Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered to date. As the only engine that can power every model of the A320 Family with one bill of materials, the CFM56-5B provides airlines a distinct commonality advantage, in addition to the lowest cost of operation on this application. Other customers that have selected the -5B to power A318 aircraft include Frontier Airlines (5 firm), which took delivery of its first aircraft in July, and GE Capital Aviation Services (30 firm).