7B Tech Insertion package was jointly certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in June of this year, paving the way for Boeing 737 flight tests in August and aircraft certification in September.
Certification of the CFM56-5B model is planned in the third quarter of this year, followed by flight tests on the Airbus A320; certification on the A320 is scheduled for mid-2007. Tech Insertion will become the new production standard for both the CFM56-7B and CFM56-5B in 2007. CFM International is also working to define potential upgrade kits for current operators.
CFM International (CFM) is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. It is the world's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, with more than 15,800 engines delivered to date.
CFM completed an exhaustive series of tests on six different engines as part of the certification program. These engines underwent icing tests, compressor and turbine blade stress tests, hail ingestion, emissions, over-temperature tests, a 150-hour block test, and a 65-hour flight test program on GE's modified 747 flying testbed. Overall, Tech Insertion has logged approximately 970 hours of development and certification testing. A total of eight engines have been delivered to Airbus and Boeing to support the flight test programs.
Over the engine's life cycle, CFM56 Tech Insertion will provide operators with longer time on wing through an equivalent 15 - 20? C additional exhaust gas temperature margin; up to five percent lower maintenance costs through enhanced durability; and up to 1 percent better specific fuel consumption, which translates to better fuel burn. The engine will also meet the new International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection standards (CAEP /6) scheduled to take effect in 2008. These benefits are achieved through improvements to the high-pressure compressor, the combustor, and the high- and low-pressure turbines. The new configuration will be designated by a "/3" on the engine name place (i.e. CFM56-7B27/3)