FARNBOROUGH, England July 16, 2008 British Airways has selected CFM International's CFM56-5B engine to power two Airbus A318 aircraft in an engine order valued at more than $25 million U.S. at list price. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in 2009.
CFM International (CFM) is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company.
British Airways is a long-time CFM customer and currently operates a fleet of more than 80 CFM56 engines (including spares), powering Classic Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family aircraft. The airline will use the new A318s on is all business-class route between London City and New York's John F. Kennedy airport.
"The CFM56-5B-powered A318 will bring great operating economics to this route," said Willie Walsh, chief executive officer of British Airways. "The Tech Insertion package brings a wealth of benefitslower fuel burn, lower emissions, lower maintenance costsall coupled with the outstanding reliability of the CFM56 product line".
The CFM56-5B9/3 engines powering British Airways new A318 aircraft will be the Tech Insertion configuration, which incorporates advanced technologies to provide operators with improved fuel burn and lower maintenance costs. Improved analytic design tools enabled CFM to optimize the Tech Insertion combustor so that it will provide 25 percent lower NOx emissions, providing even grater margin to the new International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection emissions standards (CAEP /6 regulations) which took effect in early 2008.
The CFM56-5B is the engine of choice overall for the Airbus A318/A319/A320/A321 and is popular with major airlines, low-cost carriers, and leasing companies alike. More than 3,200 CFM56-5B engines have been delivered to date, and the fleet is growing at a rate of about 40 engines per month. Primary factors behind the engine's broad-based acceptance include this industry's best reliability, durability, lower environmental impact, 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. For more information on CFM International, visit us at www.cfmaeroengines.com.