DUBAI, U.A.E. -- Saudi Arabian Airlines today announced that it has chosen CFM56-5B engines to power a new fleet of 10 Airbus A320s being leased from GE Commercial Aviation Services. The new aircraft are schedule to begin delivery in 2010 and the firm engine order is valued at $135 million (USD) at list price. 



CFM56-5B engines are produced by CFM International (CFM), a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (SAFRAN Group) and General Electric Company. CFM is the world's leading supplier of commercial aircraft engines and has been selected to power nearly 60 percent of all Airbus A320 family aircraft in service or on order. 



Saudi Arabian Airlines, the flag carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, began operations 1945 with a single twin-engined DC-3 that had been presented to Saudi King Abdul Aziz as a gift by the then U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, it is one of the world's largest airlines, operating a fleet of 139 aircraft to nearly 100 destinations worldwide. 



"We believe this order marks the beginning of a long and successful relationship between Saudi Arabian Airlines and CFM," said Eric Bachelet, president and CEO of CFM International. "We are obviously honored have been selected by an airline of this caliber and are pleased to bring the outstanding reliability and overall cost of ownership benefits of the CFM56-5B to their fleet." 



The new aircraft will be equipped with CFM56-5B engines in the Tech Insertion configuration. CFM56 Tech Insertion provides operators with significant benefits, including lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, longer time on wing, and lower maintenance costs.