CFM56-5B PIP Performing Well in Revenue Service

March 15, 2012

CFM International's CFM56-5B PIP (Performance Improvement Program) engine, which entered service in October 2011, is doing extremely well in revenue service, logging more than 30,000 flight hours with no technical issues. The PIP is the new production configuration for all CFM56-5B engines.

Since the first airplane, an Airbus A319, was delivered to Chilean flag carrier LAN Airlines last year, more than 100 CFM56-5B PIP-powered A320 family aircraft have been delivered to operators around the globe.

"We are excited to bring the new CFM56-5B PIP technology to our customers." said Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM International. "And we are pleased to be working closely with them to bring these benefits to their fleets."

The improvements to the engine, which provide a 0.5% improvement in fuel burn, include hardware changes to the core, including new high-pressure turbine blade, as well as manufacturing changes the fan and compressor blades and vanes to improve performance retention. The engine also features fewer parts to help lower maintenance costs.

The CFM56-5B PIP engine maintains the same noise signature as the previous production model and also meets current International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection standards (CAEP /6) requirements.

CFM56-5B engines are a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE. CFM, the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines, has delivered more than 23,000 engines to date. The CFM56-5B engine powers every model of the Airbus A320 family and has been chosen to power nearly 60 percent of all A320 aircraft in service or on order.

CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE.

Jamie Jewell



Mobile:
+1 513.885.2282

jamie.jewell@ge.com

Charles Soret



Mobile:
+33 (0)6.31.60.96.79

charles.soret@safrangroup.com

Perry Bradley



Mobile:
+1 513 375 2597

perry.bradley@ge.com

Talal Ahmed Almahmood


+973 173 3819


talal.almahmood@gulfair.com