ROME, Italy October 5, 2007 In a ceremony here today, Air One and CFM International celebrated delivery of the first of CFM56-5B-powered Airbus A320 aircraft equipped with the advanced CFM56 Tech Insertion package.
CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. More than 17,200 CFM56 engines have been delivered to date to more than 480 operators around the globe making CFM the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines.
"Today marks a new chapter in our long relationship with Air One," said Eric Bachelet, president and CEO of CFM International. "Air One's 'Green CFM56' represents the best of available and mature technologies for the environment and will enable the airline to meet future international emissions regulations with significant margins. We are proud to play a part in helping Air One solidify its position as an industry leader in environmental consciousness."
Air One, Italy's leading privately owned airline, is a long-time CFM customer. In 2006, the airline placed an order for up to 90 new CFM56-5B-powered A320s, in addition to the 27 CFM56-3-powered Boeing 737-300/-400 aircraft currently in its fleet. The airline operates scheduled passenger service to 32 domestic and international locations 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 eight years.
The CFM56 Tech Insertion program, which was certified on A320 family aircraft in September of this year, incorporates advanced technologies developed and validated as part of Project TECH56 to provide operators with lower maintenance costs. Improved analytic design tools developed as part of this program have enable CFM to further optimize the Tech Insertion combustor so that it will provide 25 percent lower NOx emissions. In addition, the engine's 1 percent improvement in fuel consumption will also lower CO2, reducing these emissions by 200 tons per aircraft per year. That would translate to 18 000 tons per year for a fleet of 90 CFM56-5B powered A320s ordered by Air One.
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 2,800 CFM56-5B engines have been delivered to date, and the fleet is growing at a rate of about 20 engines per month. The engine's outstanding reliability, durability, low cost of ownership, and world-class customer and product support have led to its broad customer acceptance with low-cost carriers, mainline operators, and leasing companies worldwide. 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.