Business
Tata-Led Air India Places Record Order For 800 CFM International Leap Engines; MRO Facility Progressing As Planned For 2025
Tata-Group-led Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Air India has taken a significant step towards expanding its fleet by finalising an order with CFM International for LEAP engines, to power its new fleet of 400 narrow-body planes.
The deal includes 210 Airbus A320/A321 neo and 190 Boeing 737 MAX family aircraft.
In a release on Thursday (20 July), CFM International announced that the order also includes a multi-year service agreement that will cover Air India's entire fleet of LEAP engines.
This agreement ensures comprehensive support and maintenance for the engines, guaranteeing their optimal performance.
The collaboration between Air India and CFM International has a long-standing history. Air India has been a loyal customer of CFM since 2002, when it began operating Airbus A320 neo aircraft equipped with CFM56-5B engines.
In 2017, the airline further expanded its partnership by operating the A320 neo with LEAP-1A engines, becoming the first LEAP-1A-powered operator in India.
Currently, Air India's fleet boasts 27 LEAP-1A-powered A320 neo family aircraft.
Campbell Wilson, CEO, and MD of Air India expressed delight in celebrating the major deal with CFM International, emphasising its vital role in the carrier's future development. Gaël Méheust, president, and CEO of CFM International, acknowledged that the order strengthens their presence in the Indian market.
Meanwhile, Safran is on track to open its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility of the LEAP engines in Hyderabad by the end of 2025.
This facility will be the largest MRO facility of CFM Leap engines in the world. The other two facilities in Mexico and France services only CFM56 engines, a predecessor of LEAP engines.
According to Safran, initially the facility will employ 200 skilled workers, with the workforce expanding to a maximum of 1,000.
Moreover, the upcoming MRO facility in Hyderabad will play a vital role in ensuring the seamless operation of the engines, further strengthening Safran's presence in the Indian market and positioning Hyderabad as a key hub for MRO services in the region particularly in south-asian markets.
Earlier this year, Air India displayed its ambitious growth plans by placing orders for 470 aircraft, including 70 wide-body planes.
With this new agreement with CFM International, Air India's commitment to enhancing its fleet's performance and efficiency is evident.
CFM International, an equal joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, is renowned for its cutting-edge aircraft engine technology, making it a fitting partner for Air India's expansion endeavors.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.
Latest
