SO PAULO, BRAZIL May 17, 2004 In a news conference here today, Brazilian low-cost carrier Gol Transportes Aereos announced a firm order for CFM56-7 engines to power 15 new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, in addition to taking purchase options on 28 additional aircraft. The firm engine order, including spares, is valued at approximately $200 million at list price.
CFM56-7B engines are produced by CFM International (CFM), 50/50 joint company between Snecma Moteurs (Safran Group) of France and General Electric Company. CFM is the world's leading supplier of commercial transport engines, with more than 14,250 engines delivered to date to 375 customers worldwide.
Gol began operations in January 2001 and is already one of the world's most profitable low-cost carriers. The airline currently operates more than 150 flights daily on 29 domestic Brazilian routes. Its current fleet consists of 22 leased CFM56-7-powered 737-700/-800 aircraft; the new 737-800s will begin delivery in mid-2007.
"Gol has just done a phenomenal job in its first three years of operation," said Doug Izarra, regional general manager for Latin America and the Caribbean for CFM. "It has been exciting for us to be a part of their growth and we are thrilled that this airline has selected us to be a part of its future for the long term."
The CFM56-7 is ideally suited for low-cost operators such as Gol, providing low operating costs, high performance, high reliability, low noise and emissions and excellent operability. The 1,500th CFM56-7-powered Boeing 737 was delivered earlier this month. This fleet has accumulated more than 27 million flight hours and 14 million flight cycles while maintaining a 99.96 percent dispatch reliability rate, which translates to less than one departure per 2,000 flights being delayed 15 minutes or more or canceled for engine-related issues. The CFM56-7 also has one of the lowest in-flight shutdown rates in the industry: .002 per 1,000 hours. The rate is equivalent to one engine-caused in-flight shutdown every 500,000 flight hours.
The CFM56-7-powered Boeing 737 was the first single-aisle airplane in its class to be granted 180-minute Extended Twin-Engine Operations (ETOPS). ETOPS approval, which provides airlines greater route-scheduling flexibility such as long over-water flights, is based on engine/aircraft reliability.