5C/P-powered Airbus A340-300 is performing extremely well in airline service with Swiss International Airlines and South African Airways. Nine aircraft have been delivered to date, and the fleet has logged more than 40,000 flight hours.
The CFM56-5C is produced by CFM International (CFM) and is the exclusive powerplant for the Airbus A340-200, A340-300, and A340 Enhanced aircraft. CFM, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group) and General Electric Company, is the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines.
South African Airways launched the CFM56-5C/P program in 2002 with an order for six aircraft and took delivery of its first aircraft in February of this year. Swiss International Airlines ordered 13 airplanes and took delivery of its first A340 in November 2003. The engine was developed for both the A340 Enhanced aircraft and as an upgrade package for current CFM56-5C4 operators.
The -5C/P incorporates the advanced 3-D aerodynamic technology originally developed for the CFM56-5B/P powerplant for the A320 family, including the high-pressure compressor and high-pressure turbine design. Additional improvements have also been incorporated into the high-pressure turbine to enhance durability. Overall, the CFM56-5C/P provides operators a 1 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption and up to a 20? C improvement in exhaust gas temperature (EGT). This added margin translates to up to 10 percent lower maintenance costs through longer time on wing.
Upgrade kits are installed at normal overhaul and include the compressor and high-pressure turbine, in addition to low-pressure turbine hardware. Upgraded engines are fully interchangeable and intermixable with current engines and are virtually transparent in the cockpit. CFM completed back-to-back engine tests with an overhauled CFM56-5C engine to verify the benefits of the upgrade kit for current A340 operators.
The engine maintains 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). The CFM56-5C/P became the production configuration in late 2003.