CFM56 Upgrade Sales Surpass $625 Million

June 12, 2005

LE BOURGET, June 13, 2005 CFM International has received orders for a total of nearly 500 advanced CFM56-3 and CFM56-5C/P upgrade kits at a value of more than $625 million at list price.

CFM56 engines are produced by CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric.

The CFM56-3 Advanced upgrade kit features three-dimensional high-pressure compressor (HPC) aerodynamics (3-D aero) and new high-pressure turbine hardware. The upgrade is installed during normal overhaul and provides significant benefits, including: up to a 1.8 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption, as well as up to 22 degrees additional exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin, which reduces maintenance costs through longer on-wing life.

CFM also offers two additional CFM56-3 kit options to provide customers more flexibility in managing maintenance costs. The Enhanced Performance kit includes the 3-D aero HPC blades and vanes and provides increased exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin that translates to as much as 40 percent longer time on wing, depending on airline operations. The Enhanced Durability kit reduces scrap rate by 50 percent, thus reducing maintenance costs. The CFM56-5C/P upgrade for current Airbus A340-300 operators 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 as much as 10 percent lower maintenance costs through longer time on wing.

These upgrade kits are also 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.

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