CFM Enhances Durability of CFM56 Engines with Upgraded High-Pressure Turbine Blade

CFM Enhances Durability of CFM56 Engines with Upgraded High-Pressure Turbine Blade

(IN BRIEF) CFM has introduced an upgraded High-Pressure Turbine (HPT) blade designed to enhance the durability of its CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines. This new blade design incorporates insights from millions of engine field hours and includes improvements like increased wall thickness, optimized dovetail loading, and tighter manufacturing tolerances. Notably, it maintains the fuel efficiency benefits achieved with the CFM56 Tech Insertion blade configurations introduced in 2007. The goal is to provide customers with longer time on-wing for their engines, supporting cost optimization and increasing residual engine value, particularly for those transitioning their narrowbody fleets. The upgraded HPT blades are produced at a GE Aerospace facility in South Carolina, ensuring continued support for CFM56 engines with a world-class dispatch reliability rate of 99.98%.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 18-Oct-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — CFM announced that it is offering an upgraded High-Pressure Turbine (HPT) blade designed to enhance the durability of its CFM56-5B and CFM56-7B engines.

The new blade design leverages millions of hours of engine field data. Updates include increased wall thickness, optimized dovetail loading, and tightened manufacturing tolerances. The blade maintains the fuel burn benefit achieved with CFM56 Tech Insertion blade configurations launched in 2007.

“These upgraded CFM56-5B/-7B HPT blades are designed to keep our customers flying with OEM parts they know and trust,” said Jacey Welsh, CFM executive vice president – CFM56 at GE Aerospace. “Many of our customers are transitioning their narrowbody fleets and the new CFM56 HPT blade can help them to extend time on-wing to optimize cost of ownership and enhance the residual value of their engines. We are also providing attractive upgrade options to customers operating older CFM56 configurations.”

The new HPT blades are being produced in Greenville, South Carolina. This state-of-the-art GE Aerospace facility, with 250 employees, has manufactured HPT blades for a diverse portfolio of commercial and military engines for more than a decade. On average, the site ships 1,000 parts per day, 5,000 part per week and 250,000 parts per year.

“With more than 1.2 billion engine flight hours logged, the CFM56 engine delivers for our customers 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Jérôme Morhet, CFM executive vice president at Safran Aircraft Engines. “We continue to invest in both product and support upgrades for this fleet. With the introduction of the new HPT blade, we are focused on building inventory to support our customers’ future shop visits.”

CFM engines are designed, tested, and certified at the engine operating system level, ensuring optimized system and product performance. The CFM56-5B and -7B have a world-class dispatch reliability rate of 99.98%.

About CFM International

A 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, CFM International has redefined international cooperation and helped change the course of commercial aviation since its founding in 1974. Today, CFM is the world’s leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines with a product line that sets the industry standard for efficiency, reliability, durability, and optimized cost of ownership. CFM International produces the LEAP family of engines and supports LEAP and CFM56 fleets for operators worldwide. www.cfmaeroengines.com

Media Contact:

Charles Soret
Safran Aircraft Engines
+33 6 31 60 96 79
charles.soret@safrangroup.com

SOURCE: Safran