CFM secures certification for LEAP-1B durability upgrades

• Hardware certified as fleet marks decade in service and major milestones
• Progress on maturity continues across LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B engines 

FARNBOROUGH, England – 18 July 2026 – CFM International has secured certification of the CFM LEAP-1B high-pressure turbine (HPT) durability kit from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The system will double time on wing in hot and harsh environments like in Middle East and India. CFM is beginning to industrialize production of the hardware, with full production cutover expected in early 2027.  

At the same time, CFM has secured the initial engine-level certification of the LEAP-1B reverse bleed system (RBS), a novel cooling system designed to reduce the need for on-wing fuel nozzle replacements, thereby bringing on-wing maintenance needs in line with CFM56 standards.  

“These systems will increase time between shop visits while also reducing maintenance burden, especially for customers in severe environments,” said Gaël Méheust, president and CEO of CFM International. “This means customers will benefit from longer time on wing in addition to the exceptional efficiency, reliability, and utilization that LEAP engines already deliver.”  

LEAP-1B durability kit certification builds on progress made in LEAP-1A fleet with 70% of the LEAP-1A fleet now operating with the RBS, while 40% of this fleet is now flying with the HPT durability kit.  

The milestones come as CFM marks the tenth anniversary of LEAP-1A entry into service on August 2, having shipped more than 10,000 engines and accumulated more than 100 million engine flight hours of service experience.  

“It took 17 years to deliver 10,000 CFM56 engines, but just 10 years to deliver 10,000 LEAP engines,” Méheust said. “These milestones remind us that with the success of the LEAP program comes an even greater responsibility to do everything we can to help our customers succeed. We’ve achieved a lot in efficiency, reliability, and utilization, and we’re continuing the work to deliver the durability, availability, and competitive cost of ownership that our customers expect.”