PALMA, Spain May 6, 2008 In a ceremony here today Futura International Airways and CFM International celebrated delivery of the airline's first CFM56-7B-powered Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, as well as the achievement of one million flight hours by the airlines fleet of CFM56-powered 737 fleet.
CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. CFM is the world's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, with more than 18,250 engines delivered to date.
"We're obviously pleased to continue our long-standing relationship with Futura," said Eric Bachelet, president and CEO of CFM International. "We are pleased that CFM has played some role in its ongoing success and, on behalf of the entire CFM team, I congratulate them on achieving this significant milestone"
Futura, a charter carrier more than 50 percent owned by it employees, became a CFM customer in 1989 when it began operating the CFM56-3-powered 737-400. Today, the airline has 32 aircraft, both 737-400s and Next-Generation 737-800s.
The CFM56-7B engines powering Futura's new 737-900 aircraft are the Tech Insertion configuration, which incorporates advanced technologies developed and validated as part of Project TECH56 to provide operators with lower maintenance costs. Improved analytic design tools developed as part of this program have enable CFM to further optimize the Tech Insertion combustor so that it will provide 25 percent lower NOx emissions, allowing the engine to meet the new International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection emissions standards (CAEP /6) scheduled to take effect in 2008. In addition, the engine's 1 percent improvement in fuel consumption will also lower CO2, reducing these emissions by 200 tons per aircraft per year