CFM International continues to maintain a strong leadership position within the Commonwealth of Independent States with CFM56 engines powering more than 300 single-aisle aircraft for 24 airlines throughout the region.
CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE. CFM is the world's leading producers of jet engines for commercial aircraft and has delivered nearly 24,000 to date to more than 500 operators around the globe.
The first CFM56 engines were delivered to Aeroflot in 1998 and the fleet has steadily grown while maintaining the industry-leading reliability that is the hall mark of the CFM56 product line.
"We have great relationships with all the airlines in the region and look forward to strengthening them even further in the future," said Lionel Gobert, vice president of International Sales for CFM International. "By 2013, we will have approximately 900 CFM56 engines in the region and we expect that number to grow to more than 1,200 by 2016, more than any other Western engine manufacturer."
All of the CFM56 engines being delivered in the CIS region today are either the CFM56-5B or CFM56-7BE configuration. Both of these new production configurations, which are being introduced in 2011, offer airlines significant benefits.
The CFM56-5B Performance Improvement Package (PIP) configuration, scheduled to begin delivery in the third quarter 2011, will provide Airbus A320 operators a 0.5% improvement in fuel burn, along with lower maintenance costs. The engine will maintain the same noise signature as the current production engine. These engines also meet current International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection standards (CAEP /6) requirements.
The CFM56-7BE for the Boeing Next-Generation 737 entered service in July 2011 and, along with airplane improvements, will provide a 2 percent improvement in fuel consumption, which, in turn, equates to a 2 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the enhanced -7B will provide up to 4 percent lower maintenance costs, depending on the thrust rating.