flyDubai orders engines for its 737 MAX order

by BA Staff

flydubai today announced that it has signed an agreement with CFM International to purchase up to 200 LEAP-1B engines to power Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. The airline has also ordered 22 CFM56-7BE engines to power up to an additional 11 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. The order is not surprising since CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran) and GE Aviation, is the sole engine supplier for the Boeing 737 family of aircraft.

This total includes a 10-year Rate per Flight Hour (RPFH) agreement for the LEAP-1B engine, under the terms of which CFM will guarantee maintenance costs on a dollar per engine flight hour basis. This service is also called "Power by the Hour".

flydubai has been a CFM customer since it launched operations in mid-2009 and currently operates a fleet of 33 CFM56-7B-powered Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft. The airline has outstanding deliveries for CFM56-7B-powered aircraft from its 2008 order; these airplanes will be delivered by 2015.

CFM recently completed ground testing of the first LEAP engine, accumulation of 310 hours and more than 400 cycles with exceptional results. The first full LEAP-1B engine is currently being built in preparation for the launch of ground testing in mid-2014. The engine is scheduled for certification in 2016 and entry into service on the 737 MAX aircraft in 2017.

All of flydubai’s new CFM56-7B engines are the “E” variant, introduced in 2011. The CFM56-7BE-powered Next-Generation 737 enhanced airplane/engine combination is providing a 2% improvement in fuel consumption, which, in turn, equates to a 2% reduction in carbon emissions. Additionally, the enhanced -7BE engine will provide up to 4% lower maintenance costs, depending on the thrust rating.

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Lufthansa places CFM56-5B engine order for Airbus A320ceo

By BA Staff

Lufthansa A320 with Sharklets. Image courtesy Airbus S.A.S.

Deutsche Lufthansa has selected CFM International’s CFM56-5B engine to power 30 firm Airbus A320ceo (current engine option) aircraft. The agreement is valued at more than $610 million U.S. at list price. The aircraft order was announced in June of this year.

Nico Buchholz, executive vice president, Fleet Management for Lufthansa Group said:

"Our choice of the CFM56-5B engine is a true continuation of our long-running relationship with CFM. We know from experience that the CFM56-B offers a world-class combination of economic efficiency, reliability, and time on wing. We pleased to introduce more of these engines into our fleet."

Lufthansa, which is part of the Lufthansa Aviation Group, currently operates a fleet 350 CFM56 engines powering Airbus A319/A320, long-range, four-engine A340-300, and Boeing 737 Classic aircraft. Overall, Lufthansa Aviation Group, which includes Germanwings, Austrian, and Swiss, operates more than 560 CFM56 engines.

Jean-Paul Ebanga, president and CEO of CFM said:

“This is a fantastic vote of confidence for the entire CFM Team. Lufthansa is a long-time CFM customer and we are proud to continue this long relationship with them.”

Kevin McAllister vice president of sales for CFM parent company GE Aviation said:

“Lufthansa again chose the CFM56-5B after a very detailed technical evaluation. It is highly gratifying when an airline noted for its technical expertise recognizes the exceptional value that our product will bring to their fleet.”

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Etihad kicks off Dubai airshow with mamomth Boeing 777-9X, 777-8X and 787-10 order

by Devesh Agarwal

From top, clockwise, Boeing CGI of Etihad 787-10, 777-8X, 777-9X

United Arab Emirates' (UAE) national carrier, Etihad Airways PJSC, kicked off the Dubai Air Show with a massive order for 56 wide-body Boeing aircraft with options to purchase for an additional 26 aircraft taking the quantity up to 82 at a list price valuation of $25.2 billion.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier's order includes 25 777X airplanes, comprising 17 777-9Xs and eight 777-8Xs, subject to program launch. Etihad Airways is the first airline to order the 777-8X and will be a launch customer of the airplane, which is expected to enter service around the end of the decade. The order includes options and purchase rights for 12 additional 777X airplanes.

The airline also ordered 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, the high-capacity, medium-haul, and longest member of the Dreamliner family. Combined with the carrier's previous orders for 41 787-9s, today's order makes Etihad the world's largest airline customer for the Dreamliner family with a total of 71 787s on order. The order includes options and purchase rights for an additional 12 787-10s.

Today’s announcement also includes the milestone 1,000th Boeing 787 Dreamliner to be ordered.

Etihad also ordered one Boeing 777F freighter which is based on the 777-200LR.

The 777X is the upgrade of the venerable Boeing 777 family featuring new composite wings as seen on the 747-8 and 787 family aircraft, along with new GEnx engines which GE promises will be about 10% more fuel efficient. The 777X

The Boeing 777-9X is a stretched, more fuel-efficient version of Boeing ultra-popular 777-300ER. Typically seating 400 passengers, the 777-9X will be capable of flying the same distances as its predecessor, but with up to 40 more passengers, with lower operating costs and reduced fuel consumption per seat. The 777-9X was launched less than two months ago with an order from German flag carrier Lufthansa. Eithad is expected to start receiving its 777-9X from 2020.

The Boeing 777-8X is an upgraded version of the ultra long-haul Boeing 777-200LR, which Etihad recently purchased from Indian flag carrier Air India, to serve the Abu Dhabi – Los Angeles route. The -8X will replace the LRs when the start arriving in 2022. [Read our analysis on why the 777-200LR is ill-suited to Air India's operations]

The Boeing 787-10 is the largest and latest version of the Dreamliner family, typically carrying more than 320 passengers, up to 50 more than the 787-9 which Etihad Airways will introduce late in 2014. The aircraft will be capable of flying between Abu Dhabi and medium-haul destinations such as Dublin or Johannesburg, and it is expected to be deployed on high capacity medium haul routes by the airline. Final assembly and flight test of the 787-10 are set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2018. Boeing launched the 787-10 earlier this year, at the Paris Air Show.

All the aircraft in this order will be powered by General Electric GE9X, GEnx and GE90 engines. Etihad ordered 57 GE9X engines which will power Etihad Airways’ 25 new Boeing 777X aircraft, 68 GEnx-1B engines for the airline’s 30 new Boeing 787-10 aircraft, and two GE90-115B engines which will be used on its new Boeing 777-200F freighter.

Etihad Airways currently has 86 aircraft in operation, with more than 80 aircraft on firm order. Its last major aircraft deal was made at the Farnborough Air Show in 2008, where Etihad Airways announced firm orders for 100 aircraft, including 45 Boeing aircraft, in a long-term order which was at the time one of the largest in aviation history.

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Indian Navy's second P-8I maritime surveillance and anti-submarine aircraft arrives

by Devesh Agarwal

Manufacturer, Boeing has delivered the second P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft to the Indian Navy. The first P-8I was delivered in May. The P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the U.S. Navy.

Indian Navy's second P-8I IN-320 departs for India

The two aircraft are currently stationed at INS Rajali, informally known as Arakkonam Naval Air Station, just west of Chennai. The second aircraft will begin flight trials in the coming months, while the first P-8I recently completed testing its weapons capabilities, including successfully firing a Boeing Harpoon missile at a target and dropping a torpedo.

The P-8I features open system architecture, advanced sensor and display technologies, and a worldwide base of suppliers, parts and support equipment. P-8I aircraft are built by a Boeing-led industry team that includes CFM International, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Spirit AeroSystems, BAE Systems and GE Aviation.

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IndiGo firms up its contract with Pratt & Whitney to power its Airbus 320neos

The first day of the Farnborough Air Show has been relatively quiet on the orders front. But Pratt & Whitney has announced a slew of engine deals for Airbus' A320neo, and included in the deal was a firming of the contract between P&W and India's largest low cost carrier (LCC) IndiGo Airlines to provide PW1100G-JM (otherwise known as the Geared Turbofan or GTF) engines for IndiGo's A320neos. The selection of Pratt & Whitney engines to power the A320neo was first announced at last year's Paris Air Show, but a fully firm contract was not signed until today at Farnborough.

IndiGo had this to say about the deal.

“With oil prices on the rise, we are more satisfied than ever with our selection of the Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine,” said IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh. “As a result of the lower engine operating cost, we are confident that we can maintain our competitive low fares while simultaneously offering our customers the most environmentally friendly way to fly.”

Meanwhile Pratt & Whitney, which currently trails its rival CFM (a joint venture between GE Aviation of the US and Snecma of France) in market share in the engine battle for both the large narrowbody segment, and specifically on the Airbus A320neo, was happy to sign the deal

“This IndiGo order represents one of the largest engine orders in Pratt & Whitney’s long history," said Todd Kallman, president, Commercial Engines & Global Services for Pratt & Whitney. “We are excited by the opportunity to power IndiGo’s A320neo fleet and fly its customers with the dependable Pratt & Whitney PurePower engines.”

IndiGo has 150 A320neos on order and is one of the earliest customers for the aircraft, which will enter into service (EIS) in 2015 with Virgin America.

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