Andrew Doyle and Jennifer Pite/LONDON
WITH THE AEROSPACE industry firmly out of recession, orders have finally picked up for aero engine manufacturers during 1996.
This year has also seen an almost unprecedented number of new engine programmes unveiled, as power plant manufacturers clamour to get on board the next generation of regional jets and ultra-high-capacity airliners.
The engine builders which compete on individual airframes have had plenty of business to fight over. A look at operator engine selections so far in 1996 suggests that CFM International (CFMI) continues to hold its ground against relative newcomer International Aero Engines (IAE) on the Airbus Industrie narrow-bodies, despite continuing public disputes over fuel consumption and the maintenance costs for their respective power plants.
Roughly equal
The CFM56-5 accounts for 53% of the market this year, with 95 aircraft powered by the engine, while IAE has won 32% of the market with its V2500, for 58 aircraft. Engine selections for 27 aircraft have not yet been announced, however.
If, as expected, 20 aircraft ordered by China Aviation Supply are to be IAE-powered, the two manufacturers may finish the year with roughly equal shares of the market.
General Electric, with its CF6-80, has this year cornered the biggest share of business on the Airbus A330, with 36%. The Pratt &Whitney 4000 and Rolls-Royce Trent 700 both accounted for a little over 10%, although their manufacturers still lead GE in terms of overall share since the A330 was launched.
Of the 42 Airbus A330 orders booked so far in 1996, however, 18 are for South Korean Asiana, which is yet to select an engine.
GE is also leading by a nose on the Boeing 777, securing 30% of the market with the GE90, against R-R's 29% with the Trent 800. P&W's PW4000 accounts for a mere 9%, although the figures may again be distorted by outstanding engine decisions. Asiana and Garuda Indonesia have a total of 21 777s on order, but have not made their engine selections.
While none of the big three manufacturers has opened an unassailable lead on the A330 or 777, the figures indicate that GE has improved its position slightly during 1996.
The long-term outcome of the so-called "battle of the big twins", as far as the major three engine manufacturers are concerned, seems likely to be a roughly one-third share of the market each.
Future battles
The manufacturers are now setting their sights on the next round of engine battles - for business on next-generation airliners.
Significantly, GE and P&W have both joined forces on a 747-X power plant to avoid the three-way fight, which has dented revenues on the Airbus A330 and 777.
Civil turbofan programmes appearing in this directory for the first time include the Snecma/Pratt & Whitney Canada SPW14, Allison AE3012, CFMI CFM56-9, P&W PW6000, GE-P&W Engine Alliance GP7000 and R-R Trent 900.
The military-engine market is yet to experience an upturn, but the long-term outlook should brighten as several new programmes begin to reach the production phase during the next few years.
Examples include the Eurojet EJ200 for the Euro fighter EF2000 and the P&W F119 for the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22.
Source: Flight International
