Engines
Snecma chief says time is right for SM-X turbofan
Snecma’s announcement in January that it is to develop the new SM-X turbofan for small regional airliners and mid-sized/large business jets took many by su

Snecma’s announcement in January that it is to develop the new SM-X turbofan for small regional airliners and mid-sized/large business jets took many by surprise, given the existence of several well-established players in the field and the enormous cost involved in designing and manufacturing an all-new powerplant. However, Snecma’s commercial engines chief, Jean-Pierre Cojan, has since revealed that the move is part of a far wider strategy which, if successful, will leave the French company with a new profile in the aero engine industry, significantly changing the relationship it has hitherto enjoyed with its longstanding partner, General Electric.