The LEAP engines lower fuel consumption by 15 per cent, reducing CO2 emission and make the aircraft comparatively quiet
2 March 2021: Scandinavian Airlines have signed a USD 2.9 billion contract with CFM International for the use of fuel-efficient LEAP-1A jet engines to power their 35 new Airbus A320neo passenger jets. The agreement also includes maintenance of the engines.
Magnus Örnberg, executive vice president and CFO of SAS said, “Our goal is to be industry leaders in sustainable aviation, and we are to reduce emissions by 25per percent by 2025, in comparison to 2005. This will mainly be enabled by using state-of-the-art technologies allowing for lower fuel consumption and an increase in use of sustainable aviation fuels.”
The LEAP engines lower fuel consumption by 15 per cent, reducing CO2 emission and make the aircraft quiet compared to their predecessor, the CFM56 by using breakthrough materials and technologies. For example, the company 3D-prints the metal fuel nozzle tips that spray a mixture of fuel and air into the engine’s combustor to make it run more efficiently. The interior design of the walnut-size part is very complex and difficult to make. But GE Aviation engineers found a way to print it directly from a computer file.
The engine is also using parts made from advanced light and heat resistant material called ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) that can handle temperatures approaching 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit, where even the most advanced alloys grow soft. In general, jet engines can operate more efficiently at higher temperatures.
“I thought it would be the Holy Grail if we could get it inside machines, and get more power and savings out of our jet engines,” said Krishan Luthra, the GE researcher who spent several decades working on the material. “It could really make an impact.”
SAS currently operates 44 Airbus A320neo jets and one Airbus A321neo LR powered by the LEAP engine. It plans to introduce two additional A321neo LR as part of its strategy to develop international routes.
