“If you don’t evolve, you lose the power of flight…” that’s the sad epitaph of the dodo. This extinct flightless bird was used as the tongue-in-cheek introduction to the CFM International press conference, hosted by company president Pierre Fabre. On the eve of the Paris Air Show, CFM announced a major new research & technology initiative.

Pierre Fabre first quickly reviewed the company’s results and market, with “revenues at the highest level since the crisis, as passenger and cargo traffic begin to recover.” He then announced a new research and technology program dubbed LEAP56, for “Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion”.

Program director William Clapper explained the main objectives for LEAP56, especially a reduction in operating and maintenance costs. This will be achieved through a simpler, more robust design, using new materials and new control system technologies. Furthermore, improvements to the engine operating cycle and the combustion process will considerably cut both noise and nitrogen oxide emissions.

The technologies to be developed through LEAP 56 will subsequently be available for application on tomorrow’s jetliners.

LEAP56 is in fact a follow-on to the TECH56 program launched a few years ago, which will culminate in the introduction of major improvements on the CFM56-5B (Airbus A320) and CFM56-7B (Boeing 737) towards 2007, through the “Tech Insertion” package.

From January to May 2005, 594 CFM engines were ordered for a total of $3.7 billion, along with 554 retrofit kits, worth $700 million.

Global CFM56 fleet
- 17,200 CFM56 engines ordered
- Over 15,000 engines delivered to more than 400 customers
- 5,900 CFM-powered aircraft in service