KUNMING, CHINA January 21, 2003 China Eastern Yunnan Airlines, the first operator of CFM56 engines in China, has achieved another important milestone. In a ceremony here today, the airline was recognized for setting a new high-altitude time-on-wing record with a CFM56-3 engine that logged more than 20,000 flight hours without a shop visit.
CFM56-3 engines, which power the Boeing 737-300/-400/-500 series of aircraft, are produced by CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group) of France and General Electric Company.
China Yunnan Airlines took delivery of its first CFM56-3-powered 737 in 1985. In addition to 737-300s, the airline also operates CFM56-7-powered 737-700s. The record-setting engine was delivered on a 737-300 in May 1995. During its in-service life, the engine has undergone routine inspections but has remained trouble-free.
China Eastern Yunnan operates in extremely demanding conditions at high-altitude airports well above 6,000 feet. In this environment, an engine runs at much higher temperatures and usually experiences less time on wing before a shop visit than engines operated at sea level.
In 2002, China Yunnan was integrated with China Eastern, and its aircraft now operate under that livery. China Eastern has been a CFM customer since 1994 and is CFM's largest customer in China. Prior to the integration, China Eastern operated a fleet of 30 purchased and leased A319 and A320 aircraft powered by the CFM56-5B and six Boeing 737-300 aircraft powered by the CFM56-3, in addition to five long-range A340s. The combined fleet now totals 78 CFM-powered aircraft, with 26 additional A320s and 737s on order.