Airlines
CFM says redesigning some LEAP jet engine parts
French-American jet engine producer CFM International announced on June 17 that it was modifying some components of its LEAP engine to increase durability in hostile environments, to be available for retrofit on Airbus and Boeing aircraft in next year.
It is the most recent example of how growing stress in regions like the Middle East and India has exacerbated a maintenance capacity constraint brought on by post-COVID labour shortages, particularly for CFM’s rival Pratt & Whitney.
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The company stated in a briefing before to the Paris Airshow that the action is CFM’s response to its investigation of high-pressure turbine blades and turbine nozzles when operating in severe and hot environments.
The Airbus A320neo family is powered by CFM, which also competes with Pratt & Whitney to power the Boeing 737 MAX. Analysts claim that all engines require some time to reach the longer intervals between maintenance visits promised to airlines, intended to lower repair costs, but Pratt & Whitney has received the most attention so far because it has the most out-of-service jets.
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CFM reported that engine utilisation had rebounded to 92% of pre-pandemic levels, and that manufacture of new LEAP engines would grow by 50% this year to 1,700 units.
CFM, which was established in the wake of a summit between the leaders of French and the United States that took place 50 years ago, announced that it was ready to begin ground and flight testing in the middle of the decade for its newest open-fan engine project, known as RISE, which is scheduled to be released in 2035. CFM officials claimed that the technology would reduce emissions by 20% and that it was being enhanced through access to supercomputers.
