The stars must have been particularly favourable that day in 1974 when CFM International, the 50/50 joint venture between GE Aviation of the United States and Safran Aircraft Engines (formerly Snecma) of France came into being. Negotiations on the proposed partnership between the two gigantic transatlantic engine manufacturers had dragged on a while, mainly because the US was reluctant to share critical dual-use technology with a foreign entity. But finally all hurdles were cleared and the marriage covenant was sealed. Since then CFM International has never looked back. Concentrating on just two turbofan engine families, both tailor-made to power the ubiquitous narrow-body twinjets, the company has cornered a commanding share of the market.

First off was the iconic CFM56. “CF” stands for GE’s designation for commercial turbofan engines, while “M56” is the name of Snecma’s original proposal. Over 35,500 CFM56 engines in several different commercial and military variants have been sold. No other engine comes close to this figure. Then, just as it began to seem that the CFM56’s dominance might be threatened by the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G – a new and more fuel-efficient turbofan – CFM International came up with the LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engine.

Since the first LEAP turbofan entered production in 2013, the programme has grown exponentially. More LEAP engines were built in the first five years of production ending 2018 than CFM56 engines in their first 25 years. In fact LEAP experienced the fastest order ramp up in commercial aviation history. Within a short span of time LEAP has become the second most ordered jet engine ever, lagging only its predecessor, the CFM56. The LEAP engine has already logged 20 million engine flight hours in commercial service. It has secured over 17,500 orders and commitments against around 10,000 orders and commitments that its chief rival, the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G, has secured.

In July 2022, Gaël Méheust, President and CEO of CFM International said that the LEAP family had achieved a dispatch reliability rate higher than 99.95 per cent

LEAP – AN ENGINE AHEAD OF ITS TIME

It was on July 13, 2008, that CFM International formally launched its new multi-billion-dollar engine programme with the designation LEAP-X. Thereafter LEAP underwent the most comprehensive development and certification process in CFM history. LEAP reveals CFM International’s foresight because there didn’t seem to be any particular aircraft for which the engine might be needed at that point in time. The CFM56 was performing exceedingly well in the narrow-body airliner segment, dominated by the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families. However, the parent companies decided to proceed with the LEAP-X programme. And such was their confidence in their joint venture that they renewed their partnership agreement till 2040. They also launched CFM Services to support future CFM engines. This has emerged as a one-stop resource in which CFM’s service and support teams assist operators with solutions from heavy overhaul to on-site support and parts distribution.

THE ABC OF LEAP

The LEAP family includes three different models with a thrust range from 23,000 to 35,000 pounds. LEAP engines currently equip, among others, the Airbus A320neo (LEAP-1A), the Boeing 737 MAX (LEAP-1B) and the Comac C919 (LEAP-1C). LEAP is an environmentally-friendly turbofan that delivers 15 per cent lower fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. Half of the fuel burn savings comes from the high-pressure compressor, the other half from the fan. Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions are also 50 per cent lower and the engine meets the most stringent current noise standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The LEAP engine is a twin-spool, high bypass turbofan with a 3-stage low pressure (LP) and 10-stage high pressure (HP) compressor. It has a second generation twin-annular, pre-mixing swirler combustor (TAPS II) and a 2-stage HP turbine and 7-stage LP turbine (LEAP-1B has five stages). Its overall pressure ratio (OPR) is 40:1.

Here are some significant milestones in LEAP’s journey:

• July 13, 2008: CFM launches the advanced LEAP-X engine.
• September 4, 2013: The first full LEAP-1A begins ground testing.
• October 6, 2014: The first LEAP fitted on GE Aviation’s modified Boeing 747 flying test bed begins flight testing.
• August 2, 2016: Pegasus Airlines becomes the first carrier to introduce the LEAP-1A-powered Airbus A320neo into commercial service.
• May 23, 2017: Malindo becomes the first carrier to introduce the LEAP-1B-powered Boeing 737 MAX 8 into commercial service.
• Spring 2023: China Eastern Airlines is scheduled to introduce the LEAP-1C-powered Comac C919 into commercial service.

DECONSTRUCTING LEAP’S CONSTRUCTION

Making a new jet engine ranks somewhere near the summit of current human technological endeavour. And when the LEAP programme commenced in 2008, CFM International had not designed a new turbofan for 34 years. But it had the invaluable operational experience of nearly one billion engine flight hours logged on the CFM56 turbofan family. Using this knowledge base, and resisting the temptation to simply tweak the CFM56 design, it was able to develop and build a revolutionary new engine.

Within a short span of time LEAP has become the second most ordered jet engine ever, lagging only its predecessor, the CFM56

LEAP features advanced aerodynamics, environmental and materials technology. The design incorporates the first-ever 3D woven carbon fibre composite (CFC) fan blades and fan case, ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in the hot section, and the first use of 3D-printed parts for critical engine components. Here are some innovative aspects of LEAP’s technology:

• 3D woven CFC materials and the RTM (resin transfer moulding) process developed by Safran are used to produce the single-piece fan blades and fan case. These are incredibly strong, light and durable. The technique was selected because of the significant weight reduction of about 500 kg per aircraft relative to metal components.
• The HP hot section compressor delivers an impressive 22:1 compression ratio, twice that of the CFM56 family.
• The LP turbine blades are machined from an advanced titanium-aluminide alloy that is lighter and more resistant to high temperatures than previous blades.
• The LP turbine rings are made of CMC. CMC is an advanced lightweight and heat-resistant material containing silicon carbide fibres. Each LEAP engine has 18 CMC turbine shrouds.
• The fuel injectors and more than 35 other complex components are made, layer by layer, using computer-aided design (CAD) and additive manufacturing techniques (3D printing). Hence, the number of parts in a fuel nozzle tip, that used to be about 20 pieces welded together, is reduced to just one seamless piece. This reduces the nozzle tip’s weight by about 25 per cent.
• The TAPS II twin-annular, premixing swirler is like a nozzle on a dual mission: to lower maintenance costs and cut greenhouse gas emissions at the same time.
• The engine’s thermal efficiency is greatly enhanced. Although the LEAP engine burns hotter than the CFM56, the CFM56 family’s durability is maintained, thanks to improved cooling technology and aerodynamics.
• In yet another innovation, CFM has fitted LEAP with a debris rejection system. The aim is to keep sand, salt, gravel, airborne effluents, and the like from entering the engine’s core where they can wreak havoc with parts and increase fuel burn. The system promotes fuel economy and results in a far more durable engine.

FROM LEAP TO RISE

CFM International reportedly evaluated 18 different architectures for the LEAP engine, including the geared turbofan (GTF) design that Pratt and Whitney opted for. It is perhaps conscious of the fact that the GTF being a new architecture may have more scope for upgradation than LEAP, which is of a more conventional design. Hence, although LEAP has leapfrogged the competition in its first decade of production, and will probably remain the market leader for the foreseeable future, the company is already considering after LEAP.

On June 14, 2021, CFM International launched the RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) Technology Demonstration Program that aims to produce a new generation gasturbine engine design by around 2035. It will have an open rotor or fan and will be without the conventional pod around the fan blades. The blades will be of woven carbon composites, and perhaps as large as 156 inches in diameter, thus sweeping backward a far greater volume of air than present engines. From the start it will have a strong green focus, aiming to reduce fuel consumption by at least 20 per cent. It will be compatible with 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). It will be capable of hybrid-electric operation, in which part of the thrust is provided by electrical power, and also permit running on hydrogen.

CFM LEAPS ON

In July 2022, Gaël Méheust, President and CEO of CFM International said that the LEAP family had achieved a dispatch reliability rate higher than 99.95 per cent. He stated that this figure was even better than that attained by the CFM56 during its nearly 40 years in service. While it took the CFM56 25 years to reach the extremely high dispatch reliability for which the family is deservedly known, the LEAP family has equalled it within just six years. The LEAP-1A and LEAP-1B have also secured 180-minute ETOPS (Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards) certification.

Till May 2022, more than 5,400 LEAP engines have been delivered and the company enjoys a 10,000+ order backlog for LEAP

The LEAP-1C has been dormant due to delays in Comac C919 development. However, in December 2022, the first C919 was delivered to launch customer China Eastern Airlines. It is expected to make its first commercial flight this spring. CFM International has also commenced work on a version of the LEAP-1A that will generate 34,000 pounds (151 kN) of maximum take-off thrust for the forthcoming Airbus A321XLR. Designated the LEAP-1A35A, this highest-thrust version of the LEAP so far will physically replicate other LEAP-1A engines.

CFM International is on song. Since 1974, 50,000+ CFM56 and LEAP engines have been ordered. Till May 2022, more than 5,400 LEAP engines have been delivered and the company enjoys a 10,000+ order backlog for LEAP. This year, in response to the heavy demand for LEAP, CFM plans to ship a total of 2,000 engines, up from just 845 in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic cast a spanner in the works, and around 1,600 in 2022, which was a year of recovery. This increase has been achieved despite severe disruption of supply chains and labour due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. From 2024 onwards, LEAP production is planned to exceed 2,000 engines every year and CFM International expects the LEAP turbofan to reach breakeven margins in 2025. CFM56 commercial production earlier wound down in 2020, and even limited production for military aircraft, as well as production of CFM56 spares, is due to end in 2024. Thereafter it will be LEAP all the way.