N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

Editorial

Dear Customers,

Welcome to our third edition of the CFM Flight Operations Newsletter.

Flight Ops Support plays a key role in CFM’s comprehensive Customer

Support services. Its contribution to lower operating and maintenance IN THIS ISSUE

costs, via reduced fuel burn and optimized operations, is largely proven. EDITORIAL
CFM therefore decided to roll out an enhanced Flight Ops communications THE MOST POPULAR ENGINE
plan in 2008, based on regional conferences (Russia, India, Middle East/
CFM56-7BE CERTIFICATION
North Africa), a number of special customer meetings and an annual
newsletter. GROUND OPERATIONS
IN ICING CONDITIONS
Your feedback has been extremely positive. CFM’s own pilots, fully qualified on Airbus and Boeing
VOLCANIC ERUPTION
jets, form a fundamental link between the engineering community and the airlines’ Flight Ops IN ICELAND
teams. Their broad knowledge of CFM engines also delivers significant value to our customers
WARM UP AND COOL DOWN
and to CFM’s R&D and production teams.

I hope that you will take advantage of all the technical and operational information contained
in this newsletter. And remember that the CFM Support Team is more than ever dedicated to
enhancing your operations and meeting all of your expectations.

Jean-Paul Alary
VP Customer Support

The world’s most popular engine

figures as of October 30, 2010

26,800+ CFM56 engines ordered

(including options)

530+ Operators
21,350+ engines / 8,900+ aircraft delivered
508 million engine flight-hours & 287 million cycles
2,400 CFM-powered aircraft in the air at any given moment
A CFM-powered aircraft takes off somewhere in the world every 2.5 seconds...

CFM-powered aircraft fly the equivalent of 45 round trips to the moon… daily!

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

CFM International Proprietary Information

The information contained in this document is CFM International (CFM) proprietary information and is disclosed in confidence. It is the property of CFM and shall not be used, disclosed to others or reproduced without the express written consent of
CFM, including, but without limitation, it is not to be used in the creation, manufacture, development, or derivation of any repairs, modifications, spare parts, designs, or configuration changes or to obtain FAA or any other government or regulatory
approval to do so. If consent is given for reproduction in whole or in part, this notice and the notice set forth on each page of this document shall appear in any such reproduction in whole or in part. The information contained in this document may
also be controlled by the U.S. export control laws. Unauthorized export or re-export is prohibited.
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

CFM56-7BE CERTIFICATION

CFM56-7BE: certified and ready for

flight tests on the Boeing 737
CFM launched the CFM56-7BE program in 2009 in The CFM56-7BE-powered Next-Generation 737 enhanced
conjunction with Boeing’s Next-Generation 737 Performance airplane/engine combination will provide a 2 percent
Improvements to increase overall fuel efficiency. improvement in fuel consumption over the current B737 NG.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Furthermore, the enhanced -7BE will lower maintenance costs
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) jointly certified CFM by up to 4%, depending on the thrust rating (due to the
International’s advanced CFM56-7BE engine for the Boeing reduced number of turbine blades). Combined with Boeing’s
Next-Generation 737 family, issuing the official engine Type improvements to the airframe, operators of CFM56-7BE-
Certificate on July 30, 2010. powered airplanes will benefit from a significant reduction
in fuel consumption, which translates into annual savings of
The engine is now on schedule to begin Boeing 737 flight tests several million dollars for each plane.
in the first half of 2011. Entry into service is planned for mid-
2011 to coincide with Boeing Next-Generation 737 airframe The CFM56-7BE will increase exhaust gas temperature (EGT)
improvements. margin by 10°C, which extends time on wing.
Plus, the new CFM56-7BE will also be completely
MILESTONES interchangeable with current 7B versions, a prerequisite for
customers.
First engine to test September 2009
Engine block test February 2010
NEW ENGINE NOZZLE REFINEMENTS IMPROVE FUEL CONSUMPTION
Flight tests (on flying testbed) April 2010
CURRE NT P RO DUCT I O N AI RP L ANE 2 0 1 1 P RO DUCT I O N A IR PLANE
Engine certification (FAA/EASA) July 2010 Current Engine Configuration New Engine Configuration

Flight tests on B737 First half 2011

Aircraft certification First half 2011 Heat Shield
Heat Shield
with new plume
suppressor
Entry into service Mid-2011 Plug New Plug

Nozzle New Nozzle

NEW NOZZLE, PLUG AND PLUME SUPPRESSOR IMPROVE PERFORMANCE

Figure 4

High Pressure Compressor

Outlet Guide Vane Diffuser
An optimized high-pressure
compressor outlet guide vane
diffuser design will improve the
engine performance.

High Pressure Turbine Blades

Disk, Forward Outer Seal (FOS)
The new 3-D aero design high-pressure
turbine featuring 5% fewer blades
provides better performance and
lower maintenance costs. The blades
are installed on a redesigned disk
that features a 20,000-cycle life limit.
The HPT also features a new forward
outer seal that reduces dirt and sand
Low Pressure Turbine accumulation and clogging.
Blades, Vanes, Disks & Case
Better low-pressure turbine aerodynamics improve
engine fuel consumption and a 9 percent reduction in
airfoils helps lower maintenance costs. The disks and
casing have also been modified to feature new 3-D
aero blades that optimize engine performance.

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 2
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

GROUND OPERATIONS
IN ICING CONDITIONS

In the Northern Hemisphere, daylight is dwindling and the cold damp weather is settling in for the winter. So, it’s time to drag
out the winter gear and dust off those dreaded “Cold Weather Operation” procedures. Those of you in the Southern Hemisphere
have once again managed to survive Mother Nature’s cold shoulder, but the winds of winter will be blowing your way all too soon!
Every year around this time, there is a flurry (no pun intended) of questions on engine operation in icing conditions and there is
no better time than now to provide information and an overview of CFM recommendations on the subject. This article will focus
on ground operations in icing conditions.

Preflight … the walk-around

One of the most frequently asked questions from flight crews
is, “How much ice accumulation on the spinner and fan blades
is acceptable before deicing is required prior to dispatch?”
Unfortunately, due to various environmental conditions,
Figure 1
airport operations, airline policies and procedures, etc., there
CFM56-3
is no single recommendation that encompasses all situations. light spinner ice
Typically, operators task the ground maintenance crews with
engine deicing as required. During preflight, the flight crew
verifies that the engine cowl and inlet are free of contaminants
and that the fan rotates freely.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 show various spinner/fan blade ice
conditions that can be encountered during operations in
icing conditions.
Figures 1 and 2 show that ice has accumulated only on the
spinner cone and that no ice is visible on the fan blades,
booster splitter or booster inlet guide vanes. In these Figure 2
situations, even if a thin layer of ice/snow were present on CFM56-5A
the fan blades, performing the ground ice shed procedure moderate
per the FCOM (Flight Crew Operating Manual) would be spinner ice
sufficient.
Figure 3 shows the spinner completely ice-covered and ice
accumulated on the fan blade leading edge and pressure
surface, with the heaviest concentration at the root and
decreasing towards the fan blade tip. This phenomenon is
due to centrifugal forces preventing ice build-up near the
tip. In this case, as well as situations where ice accumulation
is visible on the booster splitter and inlet guide vanes, it is Figure 3
advisable to discuss the situation with maintenance prior to CFM56-5B
moderate to heavy
dispatch, particularly if moderate to severe icing conditions spinner and fan
are forecast for taxi and takeoff. If deicing the engine prior blade ice
to push back or delaying the flight is not an option, then
perform the FCOM ice shed procedure as soon as possible
during taxi-out.

Important: The information, opinions and recommendations presented in this article are those of the engine manufacturer. The
policies, documents and operating procedures specified by the airplane manufacturers and your airline take precedence.
Remember: t Icing conditions exist when TAT is 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) or below, and visible moisture (clouds, fog with visibility less
than one mile, rain, snow, sleet, ice crystals, etc.) is present, or standing water, ice, or snow is present on the ramps, taxiways, or runways.
t
Ice formation can occur during engine operation because of the large airflows and pressure drop at the engine inlet. Ice can form
when water droplets hit the spinner, fan blades, and guide vanes.

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 3
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

GROUND OPERATIONS
IN ICING CONDITIONS
(cont.)

Recommendations recap: Establishing criteria

Install engine inlet and exhaust covers, whenever practical for the ground ice shed procedure
and necessary, to prevent snow and ice accumulations on Have you ever considered how the criteria are established
the ground. for the ground ice shed procedure? As part of the engine
Remove snow and ice from around the inlet cowl. development and certification process, the engine
Snow that is blown into a cooling engine can become ice if manufacturer conducts various icing tests to validate the
it melts and freezes again. engine’s design. Test conditions span minimum idle to takeoff,
covering the engine operating range per FAR 33 and JAR-E
Failure to remove accumulated ice from the inlet or spinner
requirements.
prior to engine operation can result in fan blade tip damage
and/or acoustic panel damage. The ground ice shed procedure is determined based on the
results from tests which expose the engine to simulated
Consider use of an external air source in some cases:
ground freezing fog conditions, as defined by regulatory

t
To free ice-locked rotors. agencies during certification.

t


To remove snow and ice from the cowling and the
thrust reverser external surfaces and joints.

t


To remove ice from the acoustic panels of the inlet cowl
and the fan exhaust duct.
Deice fan blades with a heated air/water or deicer mix.
NOTE: Under no circumstances should deicing fluid be sprayed
into the inlet or fan exhaust to deice the engine. This is not
an approved engine deicing procedure. Exposure to glycol
can contaminate internal flow path hardware, reducing the
engine’s efficiency and possibly increasing maintenance cost
due to corrosion and reduced EGT margin. The use of hot air
is the only authorized method to deice engine components.
Check that the fan is free to rotate prior to engine start.

Engine start in icing conditions Figure 4

It is recommended to deice the engine prior to start. In case of
unusual situations (no ground staff and/or means to remove
the ice from the engine), if the engines are not deiced prior to Figure 4 shows a CFM56 engine during such a test. The
start, a start could be attempted after being sure that the fan is test consists of operating the engine at minimum ground
free to rotate and the amount of accumulated ice doesn’t plug idle for a predetermined time period in the icing cloud,
or partially plug the low pressure compressor (LPC) inlet. You accomplishing the ice shed procedure, then accelerating to
should make it clear that all ice and snow in the inlet needs takeoff thrust. The criteria for success are satisfactory engine
to be removed prior to starting the engine. After a successful operation (no operability issues or exceeding limits) and no
start and warm-up time at idle (2 minutes minimum), perform unacceptable performance deterioration or mechanical
a ground run-up at a thrust level and time at that thrust level distress.
as high as practicable and as soon as ground conditions allow
and do not wait 30 minutes before the first run-up attempt. Ground Ice Shed Procedure … the basics
Ensure engine Anti-Ice is ON during engine operation in icing The recommended ground ice shed procedure typically consists
conditions (including all ground operations in icing conditions) of two steps:
to minimize accumulation of inlet ice.
Acceleration to a minimum N1, or as high as practical
Failure to remove accumulated ice from the inlet or spinner
based on surface conditions.
prior to engine operation can result in fan blade tip damage,
acoustic panel damage and/or a high level of vibration during Dwell time at the elevated thrust level.
engine start or the ice shedding (engine run-up) procedure.

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 4
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

GROUND OPERATIONS
IN ICING CONDITIONS
(cont.)
This procedure allows both thermal and mechanical shedding Other considerations
of ice:
If the following actions are not performed, fan blade and/or
Mechanical shedding. Increased centrifugal forces during the acoustic panel damage can occur:
ground ice shed procedure cause ice to shed. Additionally,
Removal of accumulated ice from the inlet prior to engine start.
during the acceleration phase, slight “flexing” of the fan
blades occurs, which also encourages ice shedding. Turning on engine nacelle anti-ice during icing conditions.
Performing the ground ice shed procedure as per FCOM.
Thermal shedding. During the dwell time at high thrust, the
fan airflow temperature increases due to higher pressure. Furthermore:
This typically allows any remaining ice to shed thermally, If possible, the ice shed procedure and run-up should be
particularly on static structures such as the booster splitter carried out in an area where FOD (such as loose ice or snow
and inlet guide vanes. Therefore, both the recommended accumulations on the ramp or taxiways) ingestion can be
minimum fan speed and the dwell time at higher power are minimized.
necessary to shed ice most effectively prior to flight.
If at all practical, avoid thrust levels above 40% N1 near
The ice shedding process may be asymmetric, causing a loose ice or snow patches, particularly at low taxi speeds,
momentary unbalanced fan condition that may result in higher since inlet vortices begin to form around 40% N1 with the
observed and possibly felt fan vibration levels. Figure 5 shows aircraft at low forward speeds. These inlet vortices can result
a generalized vibration signature of an asymmetric in-flight ice in loose items being ingested into the engine.
shed event. Similar characteristics have been observed during Check that the area behind the airplane is clear prior to
ground ice shed events. increasing thrust for engine run-up.

These momentary rises in the fan vibration level are expected Perform the ground ice shed procedure or momentary run-up
during the shedding process and should return to normal when during taxi-in if delayed engine shutdown is anticipated. During
the fan is clear of ice. In significant icing conditions, it may be moderate to heavy snow (icing) conditions with temperatures
necessary to perform the ice shed procedure more than once around 0°C, some CFM56 operators have reported very light
to achieve normal fan vibration indications, showing that the smoke in the cabin or the smell of oil when sitting at idle for
fan is essentially free of ice. The accel/decel does not need to a prolonged time period, e.g., while waiting for a gate to
be abrupt. It should be smooth and consistent with normal become available. Periodically running the engine above idle
thrust lever movements. or performing the ice shedding technique minimizes accreted
ice from clogging secondary air passages in the engine.
Some operators have found that in moderate to severe ground If the airplane is scheduled for a turn, inform the outbound
icing conditions, such as ice fog, freezing rain/drizzle or heavy flight crew of field conditions, taxi-in time in icing conditions
snow, overall fan ice accumulation can be reduced by doing and time since the ice shed procedure or engine run-up, if
periodic accelerations as part of normal taxi movements at accomplished, prior to engine shutdown.
intervals of 10 minutes or less.
Summary
The goal of this article was to shed some light on the art of
Ice shed point
assessing engine icing conditions and to provide insight on
100 10
the process used to establish ground ice shed procedures.
90 9

80 8
The effectiveness of a typical ground ice shed procedure
70 7 relies on achieving both the recommended minimum fan
60 6 speed and dwell time, where applicable. Finally, compliance
Fan
50 5 vibes with the FCOM ground ice shed procedures, along with good
%N1 (units)
40 4 airmanship, ensures safe and efficient engine operation and
30 3
minimizes the potential for engine damage resulting from a
20 2
significant ice shed event when operating in icing conditions.
10 1

0 0 Captain Andy Mihalchik

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
GE, Technical Pilot / Program Manager
Time (seconds)
Captain Jens Berlinson
Figure 5 Snecma, Flight Operations Manager

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 5
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ICELAND:

AIR TRAFFIC DISRUPTED

This was a typical front page headline last April when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland erupted.
The ashes spewed out by volcanoes are a major threat to civil aviation, since they can damage aircraft engines and drastically reduce
visibility. A number of European airports were therefore closed following this eruption, pending further studies on the subject.
Over the last twenty years, there have been 80 cases of aircraft encountering ash clouds: two Boeing 747s, with nearly 500 people
on board, experienced an in-flight shutdown (IFSD) of their engines, although with a successful restart at a lower altitude; another
twenty aircraft were damaged, with repair costs reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.
CFM, GE and Snecma are now working closely with industry counterparts and aviation authorities to define a model that
establishes an ash concentration limit for safe operation. They will continue to work with operators and the aviation industry to
ensure flight safety and boost our understanding of the potential threat of volcanic ash. In particular, CFM, GE and Snecma are
part of the ICAO’s International Volcanic Ash Task Force (IVATF).

The impact of ash and silica

Exposure to high concentration: Exposure to low concentration:

short-term effect medium or long-term effects
(operational impact and safety concerns - no accidents (durability problems - accelerated aging)
to date)

Glassy deposit on non-rotating hot section parts (high Erosion of compressor blades
pressure turbine nozzle guide vanes):
Clogging of cooling air circuit calibrating holes
Reduces the flow area available for hot gases to go
downstream. Corrosion of metallic parts

May result in compressor aerodynamic instability (i.e., Oil circuit contamination

compressor surge or stall).
Pneumatic control sensor contamination
Impacts up to engine flameout and inability to restart
engines immediately.
Severe high-pressure compressor
(HPT) blade erosion could also lead to
compressor stall.

Other experiences have shown:

Almost simultaneous multiple
engine flameouts: three cases on
4-engine aircraft, three different
engine models.
Engine restart after up to seven
attempts (thermal cycling can
break the glass deposit and
restore flow area).

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 6
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ICELAND:

AIR TRAFFIC DISRUPTED (cont.)

CFM’s experience
The physical and chemical characteristics of sand are slightly However, since some aircraft operate in areas frequently
different from those of ash. For instance, the melting exposed to sand (desert regions), various engineering tests
temperature of sand is higher than 1,250°C, compared with have been carried out (concentration 10-3 g/m3 - 375µm to
800 to 1,200°C for ash. Ash particles are also more aggressive < 10µm), with the following results:
than sand particles because of their chemical content and their
t

Particles up to 10µm follow the air flow.
sharper edges. (concentration is maintained in the core flow, whereas bigger
Military aircraft engines undergo sand ingestion tests with particles are more ballistic and centrifuged by the fan).
a standard concentration of 53mg/m3, resulting in engine
t
Larger particles cause erosion.
degradation such as blade erosion, sand deposits in cooling air
Inspection programs for engines operating in these regions
circuits and local glassy deposits on hot section parts. On the
are tailored to accommodate accelerated aging; engines are
contrary, commercial engines are not subject to certification
removed and overhauled when they exceed limits specified in
requirements concerning sand.
maintenance manuals.

35

30
Take Off
Pressure (bar)

25
Take Off
20
Cruise
15 Cruise
10

1400
1200
Temperature (°C)

1000 Ash melting temperature range

800
600 Blistered thermal
400 coating, and plugged
200 cooling holes
0
-200
12 13 18
100 2 25 15 16 3 17 41 42 43
5 56 8

Erosion of leading edge

Example: NASA DC8 (CFM56-2 engines) ash encounter (2000)

NASA report: NASA/TM-2003-212030 Mt. Hekla “old ash” encounter, Feb. 28, 2000, night
Engine operation not affected by the encounter

Estimated ash properties Engine condition

t
Estimated TIT (turbine inlet temperature): 1,050ºC All engines exhibited a fine white powder coating
throughout. There was leading-edge erosion on HPT vanes

t
Diffuse plume, 35 hours old, 800NM from volcano
and blades, blocked cooling air holes, blistered coatings, and

t

Ash sample: basalt particles 1 to 10 microns diameter a buildup of fine ash inside passages. Serial number 692632
collected from filters (the number four engine on the DC-8) had the most severe

t
Along with sulfur dioxide (SO2) damage; this may be partially due to the older hardware still
used on this engine.

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE
Page 7
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ICELAND:

AIR TRAFFIC DISRUPTED (cont.)

Engine damage correlated with ash cloud age and particle size
Soputan
ash=7 hours old
Altitude of encounter vs. distance from volcano
12
Pinatubo Pinatubo Pinatubo Pinatubo

Galunggung Hekla Pinatubo

10 ash=1.3 hours old Pinatubo ash=35 hours old
Miyakejima 2-4 mil particles Pinatubo 0.04 to 0.4 mil particles
ash=1.5 hours old
Pinatubo
Pinatubo
8
Redoubt Wind
Altitude of encounter (km)

ash=1.5 hours old

1-3 mil particles
6
Time
No damage
Fallout
Damage without immediate
4 operational effect

Height
Pinatubo IFSD
Exposure time
Engine power settings

2 Distance
Chaiten

No immediate operational issue at a distance above 1000km from volcano

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Distance from volcano (nautical miles)

The main factor in determining vulnerability is time from Feedback from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano
eruption, to allow ash fallout on the ground or dispersal in the
To gather more data, some operators performed complete
atmosphere.
recordings and provided feedback to CFM.
Ash encounters can happen a long time after the eruption, The main findings were:
but most engine damage occurs within a few hours after the
t

No operational issues reported.
eruption:
t

White deposit observed in the flow path (from engine

t

Ash clouds 1 to 3 hours old are dense, with large particles
inlet to exhaust).
(1-3 mils), and have caused IFSD.
t

More significant deposits found in two engines following
a non-ash related emergency descent through an “ash

t

Older ash clouds are less dense, and made of smaller cloud” (unknown zone and concentration).
particles.
Repeated inspections performed at 40 and 80 flight cycles
However, a number of parameters may affect the engine, showed no sign of thermal distress.
including the physical and chemical characteristics of the ash
and its concentration, as well as the exposure time. From the
standpoint of the engine, its technology, degree of wear,
rating, and thrust applied (EGT) when facing these conditions
will lead to different degrees of impact.

EFFECT OF SIZE ON FALLOUT RATES

50 microns White deposit reported on exhaust LPT nozzles stg 1, white deposit
1 micron 10 microns with superficial pitting

≈0.0003 km/hr

≈0.1 km/hr

10 Km
≈0.8 km/hr

3.3 years 290 hours 11.5 hours

HPC blades with small amount of HPT nozzle cooling holes with
Time for a particle to reach the ground contaminant, no indication of HPC dust deposit. No signs of thermal
damage or erosion distress

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE
Page 8
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

VOLCANIC ERUPTION IN ICELAND:

AIR TRAFFIC DISRUPTED (cont.)

However, the actual exposure period, in terms of ash Even without entering a visible volcanic ash area, crews can
concentration and duration, is not known. In fact, the current recognize that they are entering a “contaminated” area,
dispersion model is known to have uncertainties and to predict based on some of the following indicators:
peak rather than average values.
Smoke/dust in cockpit (usually coming from the A/C system)
Moreover, instrumented test flights describe ash clouds as several
thin layers at different altitudes, not as a bulk ash concentration. Odor similar to electrical smoke or sulfur
St. Elmo’s fire/static discharges all around the windshield
CFM’s operational recommendations Orange glow in the engine inlets
The eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano closed a large part Multiple engine malfunctions… up to flameout
of European airspace for six days, with a drastic impact on the
airlines’ finances and passengers’ lives. If you do enter a volcanic ash area, keep in mind
CFM did everything necessary to support the CAA (UK), FAA, the following priority actions:
and customers (including issuing 4 All Operator Wires and
Decrease your thrust as much as possible while still
8 Service Bulletins, an article in the April 2010 CFM56 Fleet
maintaining safe flight, to increase the stall margin by
Highlights, etc.), in order to enhance communications with
reducing the amount of ash ingested, and to reduce EGT
customers.
and thus stay away from the ash melting temperature.
Although CFM has limited data on the long-term impact on Bleed as much as possible by using the engine and wing
engines from low levels of volcanic ash, by integrating all anti-ice system, as well as high airflow to increase stall
available ingestion data, we have drawn up the following margins.
recommendations for safe operation.
In case of flame out, remember that you can make several
Avoid flying through visible ash clouds (when operators restart attempts. In that case, stick to the procedure for
avoid visible volcanic ash, defined as 2 mg/m3, overall volcanic ash operation stipulated in your FCOM (Flight
results are positive). Crew Operating Manual).
Flight into predicted ash concentrations of higher than
2 mg/m3 may be undertaken at operators’ discretion,
provided flight into visible ash clouds is avoided. Jacques Renvier
Snecma, Senior VP System Engineering
Follow current AMM maintenance requirements when
operating in areas of potential volcanic ash encounters. Captain Jens Berlinson
Snecma, Flight Operations Manager
Report findings to CFM.

M ET O FFICE CHARTS
Predicted
< 1x10-4 mg/m3

Predicted
EPZ < 2x10-3 mg/m3

Predicted
TLZ < 4x10-3 mg/m3

Predicted
NO
> 4x10-3 mg/m3
CFM position: EPZ & TLZ & NO = Predicted contamined area

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 9
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

WARM UP AND COOL DOWN

A few years ago, under increasing financial pressure, airlines be higher or lower, but the total cool-down time will always
implemented procedures to reduce fuel consumption. One be the same.
of the main solutions was to reduce the time engines spent
For a cold engine, while two minutes is the strict minimum
operating on the ground. With engines consuming several
before applying takeoff thrust, CFM considers that 10 to
hundred of kilos of fuel per hour at idle, the potential savings
15 minutes at or near idle is needed for a complete thermal
during taxiing quickly add up!
stabilization, in order to reduce all gaps, and therefore peak
At the same time, however, it is important to respect certain EGT at takeoff (Fig. 3).
priorities, in particular warm-up and cool-down times. The
Considering a baseline minimum warm-up time of 2 minutes,
actual improvement in fuel savings achieved by reducing
an additional 10 minutes at or near idle on a cold engine will
engine operating time can be largely offset by the increased
reduce EGT at takeoff by 9°C, and ensure the same takeoff
rate of engine wear due to a lack of warm-up and cool-down
performance (Fig. 4).
time. This article highlights the importance of those two phases
and summarizes their impact on engine life.

Warm-up COLD ENGINES

Specific Operating Instructions (SOI) for the CFM 99

state: 314_398-1-2054 cold

314_398-3-2058 cold
314_398-6-2066 cold
98 314_398_4_2060 warm
314_398_7_2067 warm

“After the engine has started, operate at or near WARM ENGINES 314_399_1_2078 cold bld on
314_399_3_2082 warm bld on
314_398_9_2072 cold flex
97 314_398_11_2075 cold flex

idle for at least 2 minutes before selecting high 314_399_5_2084 cold bld on flex
314_399_6_2086 warm flex
314_399_4_2094 warm bld on flex
317_398_1_2077 cold
power. Taxi time at or near idle may be included in 96
A
317_398_3_2088 cold
317_398_6_2092 cold
317_398_4_2090 warm

the warm-up period.”

B 317_398_7_2089 warm
C 317_399_1_2079 cold bld on
95 D 317_399_3_2089 warm bld on
E 317_398_9_2091 cold flex
F 317_398_11_2093 cold flex

“Warm” and “Cold” engines

G 317_399_5_2085 cold bld on flex
H 317_399_6_2097 warm flex
94 I 317_399_4_2095 warm bld on flex
J RATEGT

An engine is considered “Cold” when its 93

0 40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320 360 400 440 480

internal temperature is equal to the outside air DDTIME: 1

temperature, or OAT. No matter what the OAT Figure 3

is, thermal stabilization is achieved four to six hours after the
engine is shut down (Fig. 1 & 2). The initial rate of change may Cold Egine Idle Time EGT Improvement
Relative to Warm Egine Takeoff
16
COOL DOWN TIME AFTER SHUT DOWN 14
Idle time (min) 2 5 10 15 20 25
450 12
400 EGT (°C) ref* ref-4°C ref-9°C ref-12°C ref-14°C ref-15°C
350 10
EGT
Delta EGT

300 8
250 EAT 10 minute warm up time will reduce
EGT

200 6 EGT over shoot by 6~7 °C

150
100
50
-40°C 4

2
0
0
-50
-100 -2
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Hours Idle Time ~ Minutes

Figure 1 Figure 4

COOL DOWN TIME AFTER SHUT DOWN Operational Recommendations

450
400
First flight in the morning (usually “cold” engine)
350
EGT
300
EAT No single engine taxi out
EGT

250

+40°C
200
150 Taxi slowly
100
50 Choose the longest taxi (full runway vs. intersections)
0
0 1 2 3 4
Hours
5 6 7 8
Choose a full runway = greater thrust reduction

Figure 2

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Page 10
 N°3 Fa l l 2 0 1 0

WARM UP AND COOL DOWN

(cont.)

Cool Down
Specific Operating Instructions (SOI) for the CFM state: Insufficient cool-down time may also increase the probability
of a bowed rotor during the subsequent startup. In fact,

t
Operate the engine at idle thrust for a minimum of after landing the shaft is not straight, but rather bowed
3 minutes before shutdown to thermally stabilize the because of thermal stress. Without thermal stabilization, in
engine and reduce under-cowl soak-back temperatures. the case of early shutdown, the shaft will remain bowed
Taxi thrust can be considered idle thrust for this purpose. during the next start attempt 45 minutes later. It will

t
If idle reverse thrust or no reverse thrust is used during the therefore create unbalanced rotation, causing wear to the
landing rollout, the three-minute period can begin when blade tips and increasing gaps, in turn increasing the rate of
thrust is reduced to idle for landing. engine deterioration. In some cases, we may also run into
a shaft binding, which can be resolved by waiting a few

t

Routine use of thermal stabilization periods less than
hours … the time needed for a “passive” cool-down of the
3 minutes before engine shutdown can cause engine engine.
degradation.
The engine cool-down period (3 minutes minimum at or near
idle) is mainly intended to thermally stabilize the engine prior
Operational recommandations
to shutdown. Given that cool-down time is necessary to avoid engine
deterioration, the following points must be taken into
Insufficient cool-down
consideration:
time may increase coking
in the oil system. Oil If you know that there will be a short taxi run to the gate,
system coking, as shown use an idle reverse landing instead of a full reverse setting,
in Figure 5, occurs when depending of course on your landing calculations and in
the oil flow from the light of the fact that landing parameters are calculated
engine-driven oil pump is without any reverse.

Design and Conception: Studio Graphique Snecma - NLI 412/12 - Copyright: Max Moutoussamy/Snecma, Iens Berlinson/Snecma
reduced after shutdown,
Figure 5 When an idle reverse landing is performed, you can include
allowing the stagnant oil
the landing phase in the cool-down time. In practice, after
to essentially “bake” in the tube which is exposed to the
leaving the runway, allow the plane to run for at least
high soak-back temperature. Increasing cool-down time
2 minutes at or near idle before shutdown.
will help reduce this soak-back temperature and minimize
coking. When a full reverse landing is performed, continue for at
least 3 minutes after throttling back to idle reverse.
Insufficient cool-down time may result in fuel nozzle coking
that deteriorates the fuel spray, as shown below. In the last Consider the cool-down time as a cycle that cannot be
stage of deterioration, the spray becomes so “straight” interrupted.
that it may burn the LPT1.

t
If for any reason this cycle is interrupted by a thrust
application above 60% of N1, resume a new 3 minutes
cycle before shutdown.

t
If for any reason a thrust application above 60% of N1
is needed after having performed the 3 minutes cycle, do
1 minute at or near idle before shutdown.

Capt. Jens Berlinson

Snecma, Flight Operations Manager

CFM, CFM56, LEAP, LEAP56 and the CFM logo are trademarks of CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between Snecma (Safran Group) and GE

Flight Operations Newsletter is published by Snecma Flight Operations Support Phone: +33 (0) 1 64 14 80 79 or +33 (0) 1 64 14 86 37
Etablissement de Melun Montereau - Aérodrome de Villaroche - BP 1936 Email: [email protected]
Page 11 77019 Melun Cedex - France