History of the CFM56-5B Turbofan Engine

The CFM56-5B, a high-performance, low-risk derivative engine of the CFM56 family, was originally developed to power the Airbus A321. Today, it is the only engine that can power every model of the A320 family with one bill of materials. This provides airlines with a distinct commonality advantage, in addition to the lowest cost of operation on this application.

Noise and emissions have become key factors in aircraft fleet planning and operations. The CFM56-5B was the first engine to introduce advanced double annular combustor (DAC) technology in the mid-1990s. This technology reduced NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emissions by as much as 45 percent. With the introduction of Tech Insertion and new combustor technology in 2007, CFM has been able to offer operators comparable improvement in a much simpler design. The optimized Tech Insertion combustor emits 25 percent less NOx to ensure that the engine meets the CAEP/6 regulations that went into effect in Jan. 2008.

In addition to lowering NOx emissions, the CFM56-5B Tech Insertion configuration provides operators with up to 1 percent improvement in fuel consumption over the life of the product compared to the base CFM56-5B engine, which also means fewer carbon emissions.