HANOI - Flag carrier Vietnam Airlines is close to finalizing a provisional order for 50 Boeing 737 MAX jets that it made in 2023, industry sources said, as it signed a funding arrangement for 50 single-aisle planes on Thursday.

The airline said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the country's top lender Vietcombank for funding to purchase 50 narrow-body planes, without naming the manufacturer. Vietnam Airlines signed an initial agreement with U.S. planemaker Boeing in 2023 for 50 of the firm's single-aisle 737 MAX aircraft.

Vietnamese and U.S. officials have said repeatedly that purchases of U.S. planes would be crucial to reduce Vietnam's large trade surplus with the United States, which the Trump administration has said was a key factor in the 46% tariffs it initially imposed on the country.

The carrier, which operates a mixed fleet of Boeing and Airbus aircraft, did not specify which planes it would purchase, nor the amount of funding it had agreed with Vietcombank.

Vietnam Airlines' said the purchase was part of its fleet development strategy for the next decade.

Source: Reuters
Associated URL: https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/vietnam-airlines-signs-funding-deal-with-vietcombank-50-narrow-body-planes-2025-04-24/

CINCINNATI, Ohio - CFM International, the joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, experienced a 13% year-on-year decrease in LEAP turbofan deliveries during the first quarter of 2025, shipping 319 units compared to 367 in the same period last year. This dip comes despite the engine manufacturer's ambitious goal to increase full-year shipments by 15-20%.

GE Aerospace attributed the delivery slowdown to persistent supply chain disruptions during its first-quarter earnings call on April 22nd. However, the company highlighted recent progress in the rollout of a crucial LEAP durability update aimed at enhancing the lifespan of engine components.

Despite the initial delivery setback, CFM remains optimistic about achieving its increased production targets for the year, requiring the delivery of 1,618 to 1,688 LEAP engines after shipping 1,407 units in 2024. GE Chief Executive Lawrence Culp expressed confidence in meeting the 15-20% delivery growth. A key factor supporting this ramp-up is the ongoing incorporation of a certified "durability kit" into all LEAP-1A engines destined for Airbus's A320neo family. This kit features redesigned high-pressure turbine blades with a simpler design for easier production, along with new high-pressure turbine stage one fuel nozzles and nozzle supports, specifically addressing durability concerns experienced in dusty operational environments.

The durability enhancements are also being developed for LEAP-1B engines powering Boeing's 737 Max. According to Culp, the updated turbine blades will not only improve engine longevity, aiming for "CFM56 levels of time-on-wing," but also contribute to accelerating production rates. However, some industry experts remain skeptical about the long-term durability of newer generation turbofans like the LEAP and Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G compared to their predecessors like the CFM56, citing their hotter and higher-pressure operating conditions.

Source: Flightglobal
Associated URL: https://www.flightglobal.com/engines/cfm-q1-leap-deliveries-decline-year-on-year-but-1a-durability-fix-now-standard/162698.article

EAST HARTFORD, Conn. - Pratt & Whitney (P&W) is set to offer an upgrade package next year that will equip its in-service PW1100G geared turbofan (GTF) engines with the majority of durability enhancements featured in its newly certified GTF Advantage variant.

This announcement was made by Chris Calio, chief executive of P&W parent RTX, during the company's first-quarter earnings call on April 22nd. The GTF Advantage, a new version of the PW1100G that powers Airbus A320neo-family aircraft, boasts slightly reduced fuel burn and a 4% increase in take-off thrust, along with improved durability. P&W plans to commence deliveries of the GTF Advantage to Airbus this year following its recent certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The upcoming upgrade package aims to incorporate approximately 90% to 95% of the GTF Advantage's durability improvements into the existing PW1100G fleet during scheduled maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) visits. Calio emphasized that the GTF Advantage engines will be equipped with "full-life" parts, significantly extending the time between required off-wing maintenance to nearly double that of the baseline PW1100Gs, which have faced durability challenges. This initiative comes as P&W navigates a substantial PW1100G recall due to potentially faulty metallic components manufactured with contaminated powder metal. The recall process, involving inspections and the installation of what P&W claims are "full life" replacement parts, can take up to a year per engine.

The ongoing recall has caused significant disruptions, compounded by parts and labor shortages, leading to the grounding of hundreds of GTF-powered aircraft, representing about one-third of the global fleet. Despite these challenges, RTX asserts that P&W is making progress in its maintenance output, reporting a 35% year-on-year increase in PW1100G maintenance output in the first quarter. Additionally, P&W's overall large commercial turbofan deliveries rose to 250 units in the first quarter, up from 232 in the same period last year.

Source: Flightglobal
Associated URL: https://www.flightglobal.com/engines/pandw-plans-next-year-to-introduce-gtf-advantage-updates-for-baseline-pw1100gs/162696.article
Author: Jon Hemmerdinger