China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings (CALC) this week confirmed its selection of CFM International’s Leap-1A engines to power 20 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft due for delivery in 2026. The agreement, which CALC announced at the Singapore Airshow, stems from an order it placed in early 2020.
The lessor already maintains a portfolio of 93 airliners with CFM56-5B/7B turbofans that it leases to 20 operators, as well as 38 Leap-powered aircraft now in service with 10 operators. The new order, along with aircraft deliveries in 2024, will bring CALC’s accumulated order for Leap 1A-powered A320neo and A321neo narrowbodies to 66.
According to CFM, a joint venture between Safran and GE, the Leap engines provide 15 to 20 percent lower fuel consumption than earlier turbofans. Since service entry in 2016, they have cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than 35 million tons.
This week, Indonesian airline Lion Group signed a new five-year agreement to have its CFM56-7B engines maintained by ST Engineering. The Singapore maintenance, repair, and overhaul group will support turbofans operated by Lion Air, Batik Air, Batik Air Malaysia, and Thai Lion Air.