Finnair became CFM International's newest customer with a $150 million order for CFM56-5B engines to power 12 new Airbus Industrie A319/A320/A321 aircraft.
CFM International (CFM) is a 50/50 joint company of Snecma (Safran Group) of France and General Electric of the United States.
The Helsinki-based Finnish flag-carrier is scheduled to begin taking delivery of the new single-aisle aircraft in 1999 and will have the entire fleet in service by the end of 2001.
"As the father of two young children, I am delighted that the 'Official Airline of Santa Claus' has selected CFM56 engines for its new fleet of Airbus aircraft," said David Cook, sales director for CFM. "On a more serious note, however, Finnair has been evaluating the CFM product range for about eight years, and their decision represents the culmination of one of the most searching examinations ever conducted on our engines. The fact that we were successful testifies not only to the quality of our products but also to the ability of CFM to establish and maintain the sort of long-term relationships which are so essential in today's aviation industry."
The CFM56-5B engines powering Finnair's new standard-body fleet will be rated at 23,500 pounds thrust for the A319, 27,000 pounds for the A320, and up to 33,000 pounds for the A321. The CFM56-5B entered service in 1994 and has since logged more than 500,000 miles with remarkable reliability ratings. CFM56-5B-powered aircraft are dispatched on time 99.92 percent of the time, and the fleet has yet to experience a single in-flight shutdown.