EVENDALE, OHIO January 12, 2006 Air One has placed a $360 million order for CFM56-5B engines to power 30 firm Airbus A320 aircraft scheduled for delivery between 2006 and 2009. The airline has also taken options on up to 60 additional A320s.
CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. More than 15,500 CFM56 engines have been delivered to date to 430 operators around the globe making CFM the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines. Air One, Italy's leading privately owned airline, is a long-time CFM customer and currently operates a fleet of 27 CFM56-3-powered Boeing 737-300/-400 aircraft. The airline operates scheduled passenger service to 25 cities throughout Italy from its base in Rome. Air One has been highly successful since its launch in 1995; it has been profitable since 2002 and has consistently achieved passenger growth in each of the past seven years.
"We're honored that Air One has again chosen CFM to be a major part of its future growth," said Eric Bachelet, president and CEO of CFM International. "Air One will be one of the first airlines to take delivery of the new CFM56-5B Tech Insertion configuration and we're excited to have the opportunity to bring this advanced technology to their operation."
The CFM56 Tech Insertion program incorporates advanced technologies developed and validated as part of Project TECH56 to provide operators with lower maintenance costs, improved oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, and better fuel burn. CFM56 Tech Insertion includes improvements to the high-pressure compressor, the combustor, and the high- and low-pressure turbines. The CFM56-5B is the engine of choice for the Airbus A320 family and is popular with major airlines, low-cost carriers, and leasing companies alike. More than 2,000 CFM56-5B engines have been delivered to date, and the fleet is growing at a rate of about 20 engines per month. Primary factors behind the engine's broad-based acceptance include this industry's best reliability, durability, low cost of ownership, and world-class customer and product support. The CFM56-5B is the only engine that can power every model of the A320 family, from the small A318 up to the A321, with the same bill of materials, giving airlines a significant commonality advantage.