By Rebecca Rayko, Editor
Le BOURGET - CFM International says they arrived at Le Bourget with firm orders to power 133 aircraft, or about 44% of the market for the year so far, and will leave with double that number of orders.
By the end of the Paris Air Show, CFM says it will have a 61% share of the aircraft market, represented by 268 aircraft.
International Lease Finance Corp placed the largest order ever for the CFM56-7-powered Boeing 737 yesterday here in Paris. The U.S.-based leasing company will take delivery of up to 100 of the single-aisle aircraft through 2007.
The ILFC order alone is worth more than $1 billion for CFM. CFM said its production schedule will
continue to be strong in 1999 in order to keep up with increasing demand, with more than 600 CFM56-7 engines scheduled for production this year. CFM says that 450 Next-Generation 737s will be in service by year's end.
CFM earlier announced new CFM56-7 customers CIT Group and Midway Airlines, which both orderd the 737. CIT Group ordered the CFM56-7 to power 10 firm 737 aircraft orders, while Midway will take 15 firm and 10 optioned 737s.
Jet Airways of India also ordered the engine to power 10 more 737NGs.
In addition to supplying the powerplant for the 737NG, CFM has been actively trying to persuade Airbus to offer the CFM56-5 engine alongside the Pratt & Whitney PW6000 for the new A318 program. Air France and other European airlines have been lobbying for the CFM engine to be offered as an optional engine for the Airbus 100-seater, arguing commonality benefits with its other CFM-powered A320 fleet members.
CFM is a joint venture between GE and Snecma, a French state owned company. CFM chairman Gerard Laviec told reporters in Paris that he was unwilling to compromise on price in order secure the engine as an option in the program.
Laviec said he would not compete at all costs with rival Pratt & Whitney to win the engine order and will adhere to existing price structures.
Airbus, which stated at the A318 program launch there would be no exclusivity agreement with its engine suppliers, is expected to decide in one month's time on engine options.
