The CFM56 product line continues to be the commercial aircraft engine market leader, powering the majority of all new, large, commercial aircraft ordered in 1994 and the first four months of 1995.
CFM56 engines are produced by CFM International (CFMI), a 50/50 joint company of General Electric of the United States and Snecma (Safran Group) of France established in 1974. Today, there are more then 10,000 CFM56 engines in service, on order, or committed with nearly 200 customers in 76 countries. Over the past decade, CFMI has gained a 37 percent share of the overall 100+ passenger commercial aircraft market.
In 1994, CFM56 engines were chosen to power about 65 percent of the 352 firm and option aircraft ordered. This market share is based upon all orders for aircraft with a capacity of 100 passengers or more, including those aircraft for which CFM56 engines are not offered. In addition, CFM56 engines have been selected to power 168 of the 206 aircraft ordered or committed through 30 April in 1995.
Of the 130 Airbus Industrie A319, A320, and A321 twinjets ordered or committed in 1994, 85 percent are CFM56-powered. Thus far in 1995, the CFM56-5 has been chosen to power nearly 80 percent of the A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered. Since the beginning of these aircraft programs, the CFM56-5 has been the engine of choice for 62 percent of the 868 firm A319/A320/A321 aircraft ordered.
The new Boeing 737-600/-700/-800 series of aircraft is powered exclusively by CFMI's advanced CFM56-7 engine. The engine program was launched in mid-1993 and, to date, has accumulated orders for more than 250 firm and option aircraft from seven customers. With entry into service still more than two years away, these orders represent one of the fastest accumulation of aircraft orders for any commercial program in history.
The CFM56-5A, powerplant for the A319 and A320, is one of the most reliable engines in its thrust class and provides customers significant savings in terms of direct operating costs. For example, one airline's fleet of CFM56-5A-powered A320s has experienced only one-third of the anticipated shop visits over the past five years, and the cost of each visit has been well below projected levels. The entire CFM56-5A fleet currently has a shop visit rate of .054 and the engine's in-flight shutdown (IFSD) rate of .005 is one of the lowest in the industry, translating to one IFSD every 200,00 flight hours.
The CFM56-5C, which is the exclusive powerplant for the long-range, four-engine Airbus Industrie A340, has logged nearly one million flight hours since March 1993 and maintained excellent reliability measurements. Earlier this year, the 34,000 pound (151 kN) thrust CFM56-5C4 entered service on the 257-tonne A340 with Kuwait Airways. A 271-tonne version of the aircraft is scheduled for certification in the first quarter of 1996 and will enter service with Singapore Airlines in April 1996. CFMI is working closely with Airbus Industrie to develop a thrust bump ption on these higher gross weight aircraft for introduction in early 1996. This feature will improve A340 takeoff performance by increasing the aircraft's maximum takeoff gross weight capability at some airports. The CFM56-5C-powered A340 is the quietest aircraft in its gross weight class, with a cumulative noise margin of 23 EPNdB (effective, perceived noise in decibels) below ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) limits.
As the exclusive powerplant on the current-generation Boeing 737 series of aircraft, the CFM56-3 is an industry leader both in terms of sales and of reliability. The Boeing 737 family is the best-selling aircraft in the world, and there are more than 1,800 firm CFM56-powered 737-300/-400/-500 aircraft currently in service or on order. The engine's reliability ratings are such that one of the largest CFM56-3 operators has called it the "world's most reliable engine." CFMI continues to work with customers to drive down operating costs by introducing hardware improvements that are keeping the engine on-wing longer. Over the past six years, the average time on wing for a CFM56-3 before its initial shop visit has been increased by nearly 60 percent.
The Turkish Air Force has just announced plans to re-engine KC-135 tanker aircraft it has agreed to purchase from the United States Air Force (USAF) with the CFM56-2. The USAF, which is CFMI's largest customer, has ordered the CFM56-2 to re-engine a total of 406 tankers, including an order for six more this year. Potential new military applications for the CFM56-2 include USAF RC-135 recognizance and JSTARS (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System) aircraft.
Total CFMI sales for 1994 were valued at more than $2.0 billion.