The first two LEAP-1A production engines were delivered to Airbus two days ahead of schedule, paving the way for entry into service by mid-year. The engines were originally scheduled for delivery on Monday, April 4, but finished final assembly in Villaroche early and were instead delivered on Saturday, April 2.
The LEAP-1A flew for the first time on the Airbus A320neo on May 19, 2015. A second A320neo was added to the test program in September of last year. In February, the LEAP engine was the first to power the new A321neo. To date, the three aircraft have logged a combined total of more than 285 flights and more than 1,460 engine hours of flight testing.
“The next big challenge is entry into service,” said Allen Paxson, executive vice president of CFM. “We have six airlines that are scheduled to take delivery in the first 100 days, but we are ready. We have been working close with our customers on tooling and training and have been stress-testing our support infrastructure for several months. We expect the LEAP-1A commercial introduction to be one of the smoothest we have ever had. If things go according to plan, the only thing our customers will notice is the 15 percent fuel savings this engine will provide.”
The LEAP-1A, which powers the Airbus A319neo, A320neo, and the A321neo aircraft, will provide operators with double-digit improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to today’s best CFM engine, along with dramatic reductions in engine noise and exhaust gaseous emissions. The engine also features some of the industry’s most advanced technology, including:
The map below illustrates how each of our facilities contributed to bring this great engine together. Click the map to view a larger version.
The LEAP-1A flew for the first time on the Airbus A320neo on May 19, 2015. A second A320neo was added to the test program in September of last year. In February, the LEAP engine was the first to power the new A321neo. To date, the three aircraft have logged a combined total of more than 285 flights and more than 1,460 engine hours of flight testing.
“The next big challenge is entry into service,” said Allen Paxson, executive vice president of CFM. “We have six airlines that are scheduled to take delivery in the first 100 days, but we are ready. We have been working close with our customers on tooling and training and have been stress-testing our support infrastructure for several months. We expect the LEAP-1A commercial introduction to be one of the smoothest we have ever had. If things go according to plan, the only thing our customers will notice is the 15 percent fuel savings this engine will provide.”
The LEAP-1A, which powers the Airbus A319neo, A320neo, and the A321neo aircraft, will provide operators with double-digit improvements in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to today’s best CFM engine, along with dramatic reductions in engine noise and exhaust gaseous emissions. The engine also features some of the industry’s most advanced technology, including:
- 3-D woven carbon fiber composite fan blades and fan case
- A unique debris rejection system
- 4th generation three dimensional aerodynamic designs
- The Twin-Annular, Pre-Swirl (TAPS) combustor featuring additively manufactured fuel nozzles
- Ceramics matrix composite shrouds in the high-pressure turbine
- Titanium aluminide (Ti-Al) blades in the low-pressure turbine
The map below illustrates how each of our facilities contributed to bring this great engine together. Click the map to view a larger version.
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