Leaping ahead

CFM International is on song. Since 1974, 50,000+ CFM56 and LEAP engines have been ordered. Till May 2022, more than 5,400 LEAP engines have been delivered and the company enjoys a 10,000+ order backlog for LEAP.

By Joseph NoroNha

The stars must have been particularly favourable that day in 1974 when CFM International, the 50/50 joint venture between GE Aviation of the United States and Safran Aircraft Engines (formerly Snecma) of France came into being. Negotiations on the proposed partnership between the two gigantic transatlantic engine manufacturers had dragged on a while, mainly because the US was reluctant to share critical dual-use technology with a foreign entity. But finally all hurdles were cleared and the marriage covenant was sealed. Since then CFM International has never looked back.

Concentrating on just two turbofan engine families, both tailor-made to power the ubiquitous narrow-body twinjets, the company has cornered a commanding share of the market.

First off was the iconic CFM56. “CF” stands for GE’s designation for commercial turbofan engines, while “M56” is the name of Snecma’s original proposal. Over 35,500 CFM56 engines in several different commercial and military variants have been sold. No other engine comes close to this figure. Then, just as it began to seem that the CFM56’s dominance might be threatened by the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G – a new and more fuel- efficient turbofan – CFM International came up with the LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engine.

Since the first LEAP turbofan entered production in 2013, the programme has grown exponentially. More LEAP engines were built in the first five years of production ending 2018 than CFM56 engines in their first 25 years. In fact LEAP experienced the fastest order ramp up in commercial aviation history. Within a short span of time LEAP has become the second most ordered jet engine ever, lagging only its predecessor, the CFM56. The LEAP engine has already logged 20 million engine flight hours in commercial service. It has secured over 17,500 orders and commitments against around 10,000 orders and commitments that its chief rival, the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G, has secured.

LEAP – An EnginE AhEAd of its timE

It was on July 13, 2008, that CFM International formally launched its new multi-billion-dollar engine programme with the designation LEAP-X. Thereaf- ter LEAP underwent the most comprehensive development and certification process in CFM history. LEAP reveals CFM International’s foresight because there didn’t seem to be any particular aircraft for which the engine might be needed at that point in time. The CFM56 was performing exceedingly well in the narrow-body airliner segment, dominated by the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families. However, the parent companies decided to proceed with the LEAP-X programme. And such was their confidence in their joint venture that they renewed their partnership agreement till 2040. They also launched CFM Services to support future CFM engines. This has emerged as a one-stop resource in which CFM’s service and support teams assist operators with solutions from heavy overhaul to on-site support and parts distribution.

thE ABC of LEAP

The LEAP family includes three different models with a thrust range from 23,000 to 35,000 pounds. LEAP engines currently equip, among others, the Air-