Safran is preparing to certify a new high-pressure turbine (HPT) hardware durability kit for the CFM International LEAP-1B engines, which power the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft family. This development follows the certification of a similar upgrade for the LEAP-1A engines used in the Airbus A320neo family. According to Safran executives, this certification is expected to occur in 2025.
During Safran’s Q4 2024 earnings call, CEO Olivier Andries stated that “we expect the certification of the new blade to occur within the year, within 2025.” The company did not provide updates on another component, the reverse bleed system (RBS), for the LEAP-1B. This system was first certified for the LEAP-1A in April 2024 and has been retrofitted since mid-2024 to reduce carbon build-up on fuel nozzles.
Gaël Méheust, President and CEO of CFM International, emphasized that “the requirement for on-wing fuel nozzle replacement and associated maintenance burden will be dramatically reduced” with full deployment of these systems.
While discussing these developments, Andries noted it was too early to measure performance improvements from new HPT blades on LEAP-1A engines: “It is too early to say what the impact is going to be. We are very confident because we made all of the endurance tests; […] time-on-wing will double, that is for sure.”
In December 2024, both FAA and EASA certified this durability upgrade for LEAP-1A engines. These upgrades aim to increase time-on-wing (TOW), particularly in challenging environments.
Safran reported delivering 1,407 engines in 2024—a decrease of 10% compared to previous years—but revenue rose by 15%, largely due to aftermarket sales. The company’s total revenues reached €27.3 billion ($28.5 billion), with €13.6 billion ($14.2 billion) from its propulsion division alone.
For 2025, Safran anticipates an increase in LEAP deliveries by between 15% and 20%. However, this outlook does not account for potential impacts from new tariffs affecting global engine part shipments.
Andries concluded that Safran is monitoring international trade conditions closely given their complex production process involving multiple countries before an engine’s final assembly.
