LEAP into life

CFM International has successfully begun ground testing of the first all-new LEAP-1B jet engine. The new high-bypass turbofan powerplant will be used exclusively on the Boeing 737 MAX airliner.

CFM ran the engine for the first time on June 13, three days ahead of schedule and a few days later it reached the maximum take off thrust of 23,000lb/thrust.

The LEAP-1B engine, installed in a test cell at the Snecma (Safran) facilities in Villaroche, France, successfully completed a series of ‘break-in’ runs before reaching full take-off thrust.

"CFM has a proven history of delivering the most reliable, high-performing engines in the single-aisle market," said Keith Leverkuhn, vice president and general manager, 737 MAX programme, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "The start of testing on the LEAP-1B engine for the 737 MAX demonstrates that we are on track to deliver the most fuel-efficient single-aisle airplane family in the industry in 2017."

The engine will be on test for the next several weeks, during which time CFM will verify its mechanical operation, operability (stall margin), engine starts and further validate the advanced technologies incorporated in the engine. These include the woven carbon fibre composite fan, the Twin-Annular, Pre-Mixing Swirler (TAPS) combustor, ceramic matrix composite shrouds in the high-pressure turbine and the titanium aluminide blades in the low-pressure turbine.

www.cfmaeroengines.com

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