Ural Airlines Selects CFM56-5B Engine to Power Seven Airbus A320s

Released on Thursday, April 03, 2008

EKATERINBURG, Russia - April 3, 2008 � Ural Airlines today announced that it has selected the CFM56-5B/3 engine to power seven new Airbus A320 aircraft scheduled to begin delivery in 2012.

CFM56-5B engine is a product of CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company. CFM is the world's leading aircraft engine manufacturer, with more than 18,000 engines delivered to date.

"We are extremely pleased that Ural Airlines has selected the CFM engines to power its new A320s fleet", said Eric Bachelet, President and CEO of CFM International. "We believe that the technology benefits provided by the CFM56-5B/3 will help our customer to achieve its long-term goals."

All of Ural Airlines new A320 aircraft will be equipped with advanced CFM56-5B/3 Tech Insertion Engines. The CFM56 Tech Insertion program, which was certified on A320 family aircraft in September 2007, incorporates advanced technologies that provide operators with lower maintenance costs and better environmental performance.

Improved analytic design tools enabled CFM to further improve the Tech Insertion combustor so that it will provide approximately 25 percent lower NOx emissions. As a result, this engine will meet the new International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection emissions standards (CAEP /6) scheduled to take effect in early 2008. In addition, the engine's 1 percent improvement in fuel consumption will also lower CO2, reducing these emissions by up to 200 tons per aircraft per year.

Over the engine's life cycle, CFM56 Tech Insertion should also provide Ural Airlines with longer time on wing and lower maintenance costs through enhanced durability.