Japan Transocean Air orders additional CFM56-3 advanced upgrades

EVENDALE, Ohio — Japan Transocean Air (JTA), a part of the JAL Group, has ordered 10 firm, 20 option CFM56-3 Advanced Upgrade kits. The value of the firm order is approximately $15 million at list price.

JTA currently operates five engines equipped with the Advanced Upgrade. This newest order with the options, which began delivery in the first quarter of this year, will enable the airline to upgrade the majority of its entire fleet of CFM56-3 engines by 2010.

The CFM56-3 Advanced Upgrade is a product of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company.

Three-dimensional aerodynamics (3-D aero) incorporated in the high-pressure compressor, along with new high-pressure turbine hardware, provide CFM56-3 Advanced Upgrade operators with up to a 1.6 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption (which directly impacts fuel burn), as well as up to 25 degrees additional exhaust gas temperature (EGT) margin. The additional EGT margin can translate to more than 3,000 additional hours on wing, reducing airline maintenance costs. With more than 90 million flight hours of commercial service logged to date, CFM has more experience with 3-D aero technology than any other commercial engine manufacturer.

Turbine improvements include new nozzle and shroud materials, a new blade coating, and improved cooling. These changes will extend component life and lower scrap rates and repair costs by as much as 50 percent.

CFM is the world’s leading manufacturer of jet engines for transport aircraft, with more than 16,500 delivered to date to more than 450 operators worldwide.