Throttling Up

The Paris Air Show showed the way forward for engine makers, with growth in orders and a rise in new engine technologies. ATUL CHANDRA decodes the engine update from the show.

- ATUL CHANDRA

Despite an increasingly uncertain and tense global environment, the recently concluded Paris Air Show demonstrated strong demand for commercial aviation with sizeable orders for aircraft manufacturers and engine OEMs alike. Airbus dominated the show, racking up deals worth US$21 billion at Le Bourget, which included US$14.2 billion in orders, and US$6.7 billion as memoranda of understanding (MoU). Despite a quiet airshow for Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and CFM International announced sizeable deals, as did Pratt & Whitney. Rolls-Royce announced important engine upgrades, while MTU Aero Engines secured record orders at the show.

FORGING AHEAD

CFM International bagged orders from Ryanair, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and Gulf Air at the show. While Ryanair signed a purchase agreement for 30 CFM LEAP-1B spare engines to support its growing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA has ordered 11 LEAP-1B spare engines. Deliveries are scheduled over the next few years and are tailored to Norwegian's expected operational requirements. “These latest technology CFM engines reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions per seat by up to 20 per cent when installed on our B737 MAX fleet, which will further widen Ryanair's cost leadership over competitor airlines in Europe,’ said Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair. A CFM customer since 1998, Ryanair operated the largest fleet of CFM-powered Boeing aeroplanes, including the largest CFM56-powered Next-Generation 737 fleet in Europe. The Ireland-based carrier currently operates 181 LEAP-powered 737-8-200 aircraft, with 29 aircraft still to be delivered from a 2014 order. Ryanair placed a new order in 2023 for LEAP-1B engines to power 150 firm and 150 option Boeing 737-10 aircraft. CFM LEAP-1B engines have accumulated nearly 30 million flight hours and 12 million cycles since their entry into service.