fare carrier, vivaAerobus, has started operation of CFM56-3 engines incorporating CFM International's Advanced Upgrade. The airline has ordered kits to upgrade its entire fleet of 10 CFM56-3 engines.
All CFM56 engines are a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and General Electric Company.
vivaAerobus, based in Monterrey, Mexico, began passenger service in December 2006 and now serves 15 domestic destinations, increasing to 23 destinations in May. The airline, which hopes to serve one million passengers in its first year of operation, has plans to double its fleet within one year.
The CFM56-3 Advanced Upgrade features three-dimensional aerodynamics (3-D aero) in the high-pressure compressor and new high-pressure turbine hardware. The upgrade provides significant benefits, including: up to a 1.6 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption (which directly impacts fuel burn), as well as up to 25 degrees additional exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin. The additional EGT margin can translate to more than 3,000 additional hours on wing, resulting in lower airline maintenance costs.
Turbine improvements include new nozzle and shroud materials, a new blade coating, and improved cooling. These changes will extend component life and lower scrap rates and repair costs by as much as 50 percent.
In addition to these operational benefits, an independent aviation appraisal company has estimated that this upgrade adds between $600,000 and $1.2 million to the residual value CFM56-3 engines.
CFM is the world's leading manufacturer of jet engines for transport aircraft, with more than 16,500 delivered to date to more than 450 operators worldwide.