Lufthansa Selects CFM56-5B Engine to Power New A320 / A321 Order

EVENDALE, Ohio — 14 December 2010 — Deutsche Lufthansa and CFM International today announced the selection of the CFM56-5B to power 21 Airbus A320 and two Airbus A321 aircraft in a firm engine order valued at approximately $300 million U.S. at list price.

The aircraft will be operated by Lufthansa Airlines and Swiss International and are scheduled for delivery from 2013 through late 2014. The airplane order was previously announced in September 2010.

Lufthansa and Swiss, which are both part of the Lufthansa Aviation Group, currently operate a fleet of 98 CFM-powered Airbus A319/A320/A321 and 41 long-range, four-engine A340-300 aircraft. In addition, Lufthansa operates 63 CFM56-powered Boeing 737 Classics thus totalling some 486 CFM engines in their operational fleets. Including the other Group members Germanwings, British Midland and Austrian, the number of CFM56 engines operated in the Group totals more than 650.

Since it's foundation, Lufthansa has been a driving force behind commercial aviation. In recent years, the airline has been one of the industry's strongest proponents of "green" technology that reduces the impact of aviation on the environment, particularly noise and emissions.

The CFM56-5B Tech Insertion engines powering this fleet provide the right technology base to help Lufthansa achieve these goals. CFM incorporated improvements to the high-pressure compressor, the combustor, and the high- and low-pressure turbines to provide operators with up to a 1 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption. This translates to better fuel burn and, in turn, lower carbon emissions. The engine also meets the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection CAEP /6 requirements. The high reliability, long on-wing life, and low maintenance costs of the CFM56-5B make it extremely popular with major airlines, low-cost carriers, and leasing companies worldwide.

CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran group) and GE. CFM, the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines, has delivered more than 21,500 engines to date. The CFM56-5B engine powers every model of the Airbus A320 family and has been chosen to power approximately 55 percent of all A320 aircraft in service or on order.