CFM International's CFM56-5B engine flew Friday for the first time on the new Airbus Industrie A319 in Hamburg, Germany. The first flight lasted for 3 hours and 15 minutes.
CFM International, which is the world's leading producer of aircraft engines for transport aircraft, is a 50/50 joint company of Snecma (Safran Group) of France and General Electric of the United States.
The CFM56-5-powered A319 will begin flight testing at the Airbus Industrie Flight Test Centre in Toulouse, France, early this week. The flight test program will encompass about 300 flight hours and will culminate with first delivery to International Lease Finance Corporation and entry into service with Swissair next April.
The CFM56-5B entered service in April 1994 powering the Airbus A321. Earlier this year, -5B engines equipped with CFMI's double annular combustor entered revenue service with Swissair on the Airbus A321, as well. Overall, the engine has logged more than 43,000 flight hours with no in-flight shutdowns, no unscheduled removals, and a 99.93 dispatch reliability rate.
The CFM56-5B is being offered at six thrust ratings: the -5B1, rated at 30,000 pounds thrust; the -5B2, rated at 31,000 pounds thrust; the -5B3, rated at 32,000 pounds thrust; the -5B4, rated at 27,000 pounds thrust; the CFM56-5B5, rerated to 22,000 pounds thrust, and the 23,500-pound thrust -5B6, which powered the A319. All CFM56-5B models have the option of being equipped with the double annular combustor.