With almost 14,300 LEAP engines on order and CFM56s continuing to be produced in larger numbers than forecast, CFM International said it aims to close a 4-5-week gap between planned and actual engine deliveries to Airbus and Boeing by the end of 2018.

The General Electric-Safran joint venture produced more than 1,900 engines in 2017, beating the previous record of 1,770 set in 2016, but has fought to keep deliveries of LEAP-1A/1Bs on schedule as production ramps up to support increasing A320neo and 737 MAX assembly rates. Of the 1,900 total CFM engines produced in 2017 1,441 were CFM56s and 459 were LEAP-1A/1Bs. 

“We absolutely intend to close the gap, and by the way, we have had this delay [before] and then we have clawed it back,” CFM EVP Francois Bastin said. “So the plan is to bridge and close this gap, and we have the ability to do it,” he said, referring to ongoing production plans to bring dual-sourcing capability online faster. 

CFM said 95% of the needed dual-source suppliers are in place and expects 100% on board by the second quarter. The planned LEAP production rate is 1,100-1,200 for 2018, growing to 1,800 in 2019 and 2,000 in 2020. The 2018 rate represents a 2.5-fold increase over last year, or around 24 engines per week. “We feel in good shape to achieve that,” Bastin said.

The successful execution of the production plan is critical to CFM, which this year is set to see LEAP manufacturing overtake CFM56 production for the first time. 

“This year is our crossover year,” CFM EVP Allen Paxson said. “The majority of our production system will be [building] LEAPs versus CFM56s, and likewise with the airframers the same thing is happening. The absolute number is still the same as we expected a year ago,” referring to the overall mix of models as Airbus and Boeing continue to transition to the A320neo and 737 MAX families from the A320ceo and 737NG.

CFM, which competes with Pratt & Whitney on the A320neo, but is the exclusive engine supplier on the 737 MAX, confirmed it is responding to inquiries by Airbus and Boeing over further potential production rate increases. Airbus is targeting a monthly rate of 60 A320s by early 2019, while Boeing said it is studying a further increase for the 737 beyond the 57 per month it plans to reach in 2019. 

“Yes, we have had discussions with the airframers,” Bastin confirmed. “We are the followers and they are the leaders. But they run scenarios and they are asking us about our ability to support [further rate increases]. At this stage, there have been no firm announcements by the airframers, so we are still in the supporting phase.”

Deliveries were slowed and interrupted by parts-yield issues as well as inspections of turbine disks on up to 40 LEAP-1Bs prior to delivery. CFM also has tackled a starter air-valve issue on in-service engines—retrofits have been completed—and is more than halfway through inspections of turbine disks on a batch of 70 LEAP-1As. 

CFM is additionally replacing first-stage high-pressure turbine shrouds of the LEAP-1A after some engines began showing premature losses of a protective coating. This erosion has affected the exhaust gas turbine margin of some A320neos.

“We are putting improvements in the engine and we have had some removals, but we are managing it with customers without impacting the utilization numbers,” Paxson said. “We are about four to five months into that.”

CFM also is tackling an operational issue that has been isolated to A320neos flown by Frontier Airlines. In circumstances where the engines were left to cold-soak at temperatures as low as -15C (5F) for 4 hr. or more, CFM discovered ice could form inside a PS3 pressure sensor line connecting the high-pressure compressor with the full-authority digital engine control unit. The blockage would cause an error message and subsequent engine shutdown. As all the events occurred at low speed on the ground, CFM said there is no safety issue. 

“Our team got after that and within days got that managed, not only for customers in North America but for the entire world, and put that issue behind us,” Paxson added. The workaround involves pre-warming the line, but a longer term fix is in the works.

Guy Norris guy.norris@aviationweek.com