LE BOURGET -- Afriqiyah Airways has selected CFM56-5B-to power a fleet of new Airbus A 319 / A320 aircraft scheduled for delivery between 2007 and 2009. The firm engine order is valued at $190 million over the life of the product
CFM56-5B engines are produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company and the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines. The CFM56-5B is the engine of choice for the Airbus A320 family of aircraft and has been selected to power more than 55 percent of all A318/A319/A320/A321 aircraft currently in service or on order.
Afriqiyah Airways, which is 100 percent owned by the Libyan government, began operations in December 2001 and plans to use the new CFM56-powered A319/A320 aircraft to support its domestic, regional, and international routes. The airline has been operating to Europe since 2002 and currently services Paris, Brussels, Geneva, and London. Afriqiyah also plans to open routes to Rome, Amsterdam, and Cairo in the near future. From its hub in Tripoli and long with its airline partners, Afriqiyah connects eleven African cities, including Accra, Bamako, Cotonou, Lagos, Lome, Ougadougou, Niamey, N'Djamena, Khartoum, Kano, and Abidjan with destinations throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
"We are very pleased to add the advanced CFM56-5B engine to our fleet," said Captain Sabri Saad Shadi, CEO of Afriqiyah Airways. "This engine has an exemplary reputation in the industry and the outstanding quality, reliability, and support CFM provides will help us provide our passengers with the very highest quality service."
"Everyone at CFM is honored by Afriqiyah Airways' engine selection and pleased to welcome them to the CFM family of operators," said Eric Bachelet, president and CEO CFM. "The airline will reap the significant benefits of the CFM56-5B, including high reliability, low cost, and ease of maintenance."
The CFM56-5B is the engine of choice for the Airbus A320 family and is popular with major airlines, low-cost carriers, and leasing companies alike. More than 2,600 CFM56-5B engines have been delivered to date, and the fleet is growing at a rate of about 35 engines per month. Primary factors behind the engine's broad-based acceptance include its industry's best reliability, durability, low cost of ownership, and world-class customer and product support. The CFM56-5B is the only engine that can power every model of the A320 family, from the small A318 up to the A321, with the same bill of materials, giving airlines a significant commonality advantage.