24 April 2012

CFM56 Celebrates 30 Years

CFM and the CFM56 powerplant celebrates its 30th anniversary today! Beginning as a replacement for the Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofan, for the Boeing 707-300B (only one prototype built) and KC-135, along with the Douglas DC-8-60 series, the CFM56 has become the exclusive powerplant for the Boeing 737 Classic (-300 to -500) and Next Generation (-600 to -900ER), as well as the Airbus A340-200 and -300 series, and an option for the Airbus A320 series.

The CFM56 in Hawai‘i are regularly seen on Hawai‘i Air National Guard's KC-135Rs, 737 Next Generations (Alaska, Air Pacific, United, and WestJet), and Philippine Airlines' A340-300s. UPS began their cargo flights to HNL with DC-8-70Fs. Aloha Airlines had CFM56s on their 737-300s, -400s, and -700s.

CFM's press release.

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