Thursday 28 March 2024
 
»
 
»
Story

Etihad picks CFM engines for A321 neo jets

Dubai, November 17, 2013

The UAE national airline Etihad Airways has placed an order with CFM International for 52 LEAP-1A engines to power 26 new Airbus A321neo aircraft.

The order is valued at $2.8 billion US at list price, including a long-term services agreement, said a statement from the Abu Dhabi carrier.

The order, unveiled today (November17) at the Dubai Air Show 2013, includes a 15-year Rate Per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement, under which CFM International will guarantee maintenance costs on a dollar per engine flight hour basis.

The LEAP-1A engines will be fitted onto 26 A321neo aircraft, which form part of a $26.9 billion order with Airbus also announced today by Etihad. The delivery of the aircraft is scheduled to commence from 2020.

President and CEO James Hogan said Etihad prides itself on operating modern, state-of-the-art and highly efficient aircraft, with the Airbus A320 family at the heart of our narrow-body fleet.

“Through the introduction of brand new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, we will benefit from even lower fuel consumption and environmental impact on short-haul and medium-haul flights. Much of these operational improvements will derive from the advanced LEAP-1A engine, which has been meeting all performance targets,” he noted.

Rooted in advanced aerodynamics and materials technology development programs, LEAP engines are designed to provide 15 per cent better fuel consumption and an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to today's best CFM engine, along with a 50 per cent reduction in oxides of nitrogen emissions and up to 75 per cent less engines noise footprint.

CFM International completed ground testing of the first full LEAP engine last month, with a five-week program that involved more than 400 cycles over 310 hours. Engine certification is expected in 2015, followed by first entry into commercial service on the A320neo in 2016.

Jean-Paul Ebanga, the president and CEO of CFM International, said: "We are happy to welcome Etihad as a CFM customer. In just 10 years, this airline has built a reputation for excellence in every facet of its business, and we are honored to become part of this team."

“We are obviously excited that Etihad chose to power its new A320neo fleet with the LEAP engine,” said Gaël Meheust, vice president of sales for CFM International.

“We think this engine is going to be the best we’ve ever built and Etihad will realize the benefits from day one – lower fuel burn, lower noise and emissions, all with CFM’s legendary reliability and low cost of ownership,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Etihad | CFM engine | A321 neo jet |

More Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Stories

calendarCalendar of Events

Ads