FRENCH ENGINE manufacturer Snecma is to receive a Fr2 billion ($396 million) reimbursable loan from the French Government to help develop the 135-220kN (30,000-50,000lb)-thrust CFMXX turbofan.
The agreement effectively launches the engine, which is needed by Airbus Industrie for growth versions of the A340 and, possibly, the A321. The consortium has made it clear, for example, that such an engine would have to be available before it would go ahead with the 14,800km (8,000nm)-range A340-8000.
Reports indicate that the money (the first such aid to emerge from the new Chirac-led Government) would be made available over six years. The engine, which would be developed with Snecma's CFM56 partner General Electric, will cost around Fr11 billion to develop, around half of which would come from Snecma.
Snecma president Bernard Dufour has pushed hard for the funding, and has also made it clear that he expects the work-share relationship between the two engine manufacturers to "evolve", meaning that Snecma intends to take responsibility for the high-pressure section which for the CFM56 range was supplied by GE. The core would be developed from that of the M88 military engine.
Snecma is undergoing major cost cutting as it tries to reduce its Fr2.2 billion debt to less than FR1 billion by 1996. Aerospatiale is also looking for reimbursable Government-funding to support its stake in the shortened version of the A330 wide body twin, and in a 100-seat regional jet.
Source: Flight International
