SINGAPORE February 26, 2002 CFM International has initiated ground testing of the advanced CFM56-5C/P engine, paving the way for engine certification in late 2002 and entry into service on the Airbus A340-300 Enhanced as early as 2003.
The CFM56-5C is the sole powerplant for the Airbus A340-200 and 300. The entire CFM56 family is produced by CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group), France, and General Electric, U.S.A. CFM is the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines.
The CFM56-5C/P began testing on schedule last fall, and a second engine entered the program earlier this year. The test program is extensive and will ultimately include four test engines and a two-phase flight test program. More than 400 hours of certification ground tests are planned, including: performance, operability, mechanical response, control system, and ingestion testing. The flight test program, which is slated for early 2002, will encompass 50 hours of performance and operability tests on an A340 aircraft.
CFM also plans to go beyond normal certification test requirements to demonstrate the CFM56-5C/P's long-term durability and reliability prior to entry into service. The company will begin an endurance test program in late 2002 that will encompass several thousand engine cycles simulating many years of severe field operation on an accelerated basis.
The CFM56-5C/Pinterchangeable with the current configuration CFM56-5Cincorporates an advanced three-dimensional aerodynamic (3-D aero) high-pressure compressor and high-pressure turbine. A new stage one low-pressure turbine nozzle has been developed to integrate with the engine's current low-pressure turbine.
This engine will become the production configuration for the CFM56-5C beginning in 2003, and the hardware will also be offered to current A340 customers as an upgrade kit. Benefits include a 1 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption, compared to the -5C4, and a 13? centigrade increase in exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin. This additional margin will result in maintenance cost reductions of at least 10 percent compared to the current configuration. No nacelle changes are required, and the engine will maintain the CFM56-5C noise signature, which is the quietest in its class. The CFM56-5C-powered A340 meets all current noise regulations with a cumulative margin of 23 EPNdB (effective perceived noise in decibels).
CFM International is a joint company of Snecma (Safran Group), France and General Electric Company, U.S.A.