Chris Kjelgaard

Gaël Méheust, CFM&nbsp;president and CEO, told AIN Airbus has indicated that the existing Leap-1A “exactly meets the requirement of this airplane” and that the Leap-1A “answers perfectly” the thrust, fuel-efficiency and dispatch-reliability requirements for the 101-tonne-mtow A321XLR. “Airbus insisted we do nothing to jeopardize the reliability and performance of this product,” in offering it for the 4,700-nm&nbsp;aircraft, he said.

 


Airbus’s instruction to CFM means the A321XLR/Leap-1A combination will be “a win for everyone,” said Méheust. Retaining the same Leap-1A spec for the A321XLR as that for the existing A321neo and A321LR means “there will be no changes in the bill of materials” for customers choosing Leap-1As when ordering the longest-range A321 version, he said. “It’s a win for CFM customers, because they have the same bill of materials. It’s a win for investors, because it keeps the residual values of their engines high.” It will also be a win for CFM, because it should be able to sell more engines as a result, according to Méheust.

 


One factor CFM feels is in the Leap-1A’s favor over the competing PW1100G-JM geared turbofan manufactured by Pratt &amp; Whitney is that “the longer the Leap is in the air, the better its fuel-efficiency is,” said Méheust. CFM’s original fuel-performance target for the Leap-1A was for it to be 15 percent more fuel-efficient than any existing A320-family engine. He said the Leap-1A has achieved that target—which in any case referred to brand-new examples of previous-generation engines. Many Leap-1A operators who&nbsp;also have high-hour A320ceo-family aircraft in their fleets, “are seeing [achieved Leap fuel-efficiencies] upwards of 20 percent better than their existing fleets,” he said.

 


While many early operators of the A321neo chose the PW1100G-JM, CFM now holds a 60 percent market share for all A321neo orders for which engine selections have been announced, according to Méheust. This figure corresponds closely to the 61 percent market share that CFM today says the Leap-1A holds for announced engine selections for the A320neo family as a whole. “This is a share we’ve probably never even had in our history” on the A320 family overall, he said. “The situation on the A320 family has never been so favorable to CFM.”

 


The Leap-1A is doing so well because it is meeting and even exceeding all of its performance and reliability targets, according to Méheust. “Performance is on point” in terms of fuel-burn, emissions, in-service reliability, and in the overall Leap production program ramp-up and on-time deliveries of engines to the aircraft manufacturers.

 


Three years after entering service in August 2016, the Leap-1A is displaying “remarkable reliability,” said Méheust. Average dispatch reliability is 99.99 percent, “two to three percent better than the CFM56 [-powered] airplane. The design is stable. It’s too early to say it’s mature, but after 6 million [flight] hours, you know what kind of baby was born.”

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

CFM: No Leap-1A Changes Needed to Power A321XLR

Airbus has asked CFM not to make any changes to the existing Leap-1A for the A321XLR, says CFM’s CEO.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Matt Thurber

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

Charles Alcock

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information on safety procedures and concerns.

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

More In Engines

FAA Proposes Special Conditions for PW220A Idle Cruise

One engine would be able to run at low-idle in a twin-engine helicopter application

Rolls-Royce Completes $1 Billion Engine Site Upgrade

Improved engine production and test facilities are mainly focused on military programs

GE Aerospace and Beta Technologies Cross Atlantic in Hybrid-electric Saab 340B Commuter Aircraft

The first hybrid-electric flights above 30,000 feet, as well as the first across the North Atlantic, GE says.

Lack of Funding Shuts Hydrogen Propulsion Pioneer Stralis

Australian start-up planned to convert Beechcraft Bonanza and 1900D aircraft

EASA Issues Type Certificate for AW09 Arriel 2K Engine

Turboshaft has flown more than 600 hours after first flight in March 2023

FAA’s Rocheleau Admits Unleaded Avgas Timeline May Slip

Deadline of Dec. 31, 2030 may have to be moved if a suitable fuel isn't available

Sikorsky and Safran Pledge Increased Collaboration

Proposal promises accelerated engine innovation

Canada Could Keep Gripen Engine Work at Home

GE and Magellan sign F414 support agreement

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN