EVENDALE, OHIO December 9, 2005 TAM Brazilian Airlines has become CFM International's newest customer, selecting the CFM56-5B engine to power 25 new Airbus A320 family aircraft. The airline has also taken options on up to 20 additional aircraft.
CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company. More than 15,500 CFM56 engines have been delivered to date to 430 operators around the globe making CFM the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines. TAM, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in early 2006, will take delivery of the CFM56-powered A320 family aircraft between 2007 and 2010. The order is part of a fleet renewal and expansion program and will be used on the airline's domestic and South American routes. TAM is one of the top companies in Brazil and one of the most admired airlines in the world.
"We selected the CFM56-5B after an exhaustive evaluation," said Marco Bologna, President of TAM. TAM made its decision based on CFM International's comprehensive cost of ownership approach, which was enhanced by the availability of CFM56-5B overhaul capability in Brazil."
The CFM56-5B is the engine of choice for the Airbus A320 family and is popular with major airlines, low-cost carriers, and leasing companies alike. More than 2,000 CFM56-5B engines have been delivered to date, and the fleet is growing at a rate of about 20 engines per month. Primary factors behind the engine's broad-based market acceptance include this industry's best reliability, durability, low cost of ownership, and world-class customer and product support. The CFM56-5B is the only engine that can power every model of the A320 family, from the small A318 up to the A321, with the same bill of materials, giving airlines a significant commonality advantage.