March 2008 - Safran

magazinesafran

March 2008 – No. 3 The SAFRAN GROUP MAGAZINe

8 INSIGhT: BOAT SPONSORSHIP / 26 MarKETS: TURBOMECA MANAgES gROwTH

Portrait of a booming business

TOTAL SERVICE

SPEcIaL rEPOrT

S afran has three pillars of growth – aerospace, defense and security – and the former is in the midst of a boom. We have set a new record for CFM56 engine orders each year since 2005, including an all-time record of 2,704 in 2007. Business is equally buoyant in the aircraft equipment and helicopter engine sectors, including more than 1,000

turbine engines ordered last year. The fleet of engines produced by Safran companies is growing at a heady pace, with nearly 18,000 CFM56 turbofans and 14,000 helicopter turbines now in service around the world. A CFM56-powered plane takes

off somewhere in the world every 3 seconds, and every 2.5 seconds a plane touches down on its Messier-Dowty landing gear. Aircraft generally stay in ser-vice for over 30 years, so you can imagine the tremendous business potential for any company capable of giving its customers the appro-priate support services for these planes. Today, vendors no longer just deliver a new system and then

spare parts. Customers expect across-the-board support for the entire function, whether propulsion, braking, flight control, etc. Which means we are constantly coming up with innovative new offerings that span a broad spectrum of needs: contracts per hour of flight, fleet management assistance, total maintenance packages and more. Our complete range of services, coupled with a fast growing installed base, are critical assets for Safran, and will provide solid foundations to spur future growth and create value for our shareholders.

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essentials� 4A quick look at Safran Group news

insight� 8Boat sponsorship: on course for global recognition.

t omor row�� 10Towards “more electric” airplanes with the Safran Power Electronics Center (SPEC).

special�report� 12Total service Portrait of the booming customer support business.

panorama� �20Rafale Mission deployment on the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier.

markets�� 2626 Turbomeca, enhancing production

29 Sagem Communications: new horizons

30 Nacelles, composite future

32 Sperwer UAV, export success

34 Landing gear for the A350 XWB

36 YpsID e, online security

38 Inertial navigation, military & civil

face�to�face�� 40GE-SAFRAN, the benchmarkInterview with Scott Donnelly, President and CEO of GE Aviation

JEAn-PAul HErTEMAnCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SAFRAN GROUP

The Sperwer uAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), shown here with Canadian armed forces, has chalked up a number of export contracts. It is designed and produced by Sagem Défense Sécurité.

SpERWER, opERATIoNAL

32 markets

Check out the latest Safran news on www.le-webmag.com

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“Innovative new offerings that span a broad spectrum of needs”

04-05essentials

Sagem Sécurité (Safran Group) will supply biometric border control gates for Terminal 3 at the Cairo airport. The company’s automatic fingerprint recognition technology ensures secure, reliable identification, and accelerates the control process for passengers, especially pre-registered and frequent flyers. Biometric ID systems by Sagem Sécurité are installed in more than 60 countries. Its ID control solutions have already been chosen for similar applications in several major airports, including in Great Britain (iris recognition), Australia (facial recognition) and France (fingerprint recognition).

K MORESee special report on "Biometrics" in Safran Magazine No. 2.

magazinesafranThe Safran Group magazine2, bd du Général Martial-Valin75724 Paris Cedex 15 - FranceFax : 33 (0)1 40 60 84 87

E-mail: [email protected]

Publication Director Françoise DescheemaekerEditorial DirectorOlivier LapyExecutive Editor in chiefFlorent VilbertEditor in chiefAurélien CoustillacTranslationDon Siegel, ID CommunicationsProduction

Printed byImprimerie Vincent, certified imprim’vert, on PEFC accredited paperISSN 1960-7164The articles and illustrations published in this magazine may not be reproduced without prior authorization.Cover photo© Snecma Services-Philippe Stroppa

Biometric control gates at Cairo airport

SafRan bOlStERS invEStMEntS in india

The new Syscom plant (subsidiary of Sagem Orga GmbH, Safran Group) has been inaugurated in Noida, near New Delhi, in a ceremony attended by Jean-Paul Herteman, Chief Executive Officer of Safran Group. This new facility is the largest smart card production unit in India, with a current output of 150 million cards per year. “We plan to double our production rate by the end of 2009 to 300 million a year,” enthuses Patrick Samier, Chairman and CEO of Sagem Orga. The objective for Sagem Orga and parent company Sagem Sécurité, which already hold 40 to 45% of the Indian smart card market, is to deploy an ultra-competitive production facility that covers all of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. It will also underpin the acceleration of the security business in a booming Indian market.

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SaM146 kickS Off SuccESSful flight tEStS

Results from the initial flight tests of the SaM146 are very encouraging. Tests started at the end of last year in Russia, using an Ilyushin Il-76LL flying testbed. By the end of February 2008, the engine had logged 42 hours in the air and satisfied all performance objectives. At the same time, two engines have been delivered to Sukhoi in preparation for the first flight of the Superjet 100.

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StRix Sighting SyStEMS fOR Spain and fRancE

Sagem Défense Sécurité (Safran Group) has received an order for Strix sighting and observation systems for 64 Tiger HAD attack and support helicopters to be deployed by Spain and France. The first systems are slated for delivery in 2009. Featuring high-performance optronic (electro-optical) sensors, the gyrostabilized Strix system will give Tiger HAD machines true day/night long-distance target observation, identification and engagement capabilities.


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The Strix sighting system is located between the rotor and the upper cockpit.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States have certified the Airbus A380 powered by GP7200 engines. A competitor of the Rolls-Royce Trent 900, the GP7200 is made by the Engine Alliance, an equal joint venture of General Electric and Pratt & Whitney.

Certification marks a major milestone for this new engine and its components. Safran has a 17.5% stake in the program, with four Group companies involved. Snecma is in charge of the high-pressure compressor, giving it 10%, while Techspace Aero is responsible for the low-pressure compressor for a 7.5% share. Aircelle supplies

both types of nacelles, with and without thrust reversers, and Hispano-Suiza provides the electrical thrust reverser actuation system (ETRAS®), these two companies being selected for both the Trent 900 and the GP7200. Entry into revenue service for the GP7200-powered A380 is slated for August 2008, with Emirates Airlines as the launch customer.

aiRbuS a380 cERtifiEd with gp7200 EnginE

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06-07essentials

a bOOSt fOR clEanER EnginES

“Through this fan module, including compressor,

fan, intermediate casing and bearing housings, we

wanted to advance the ‘state of the booster art’.”

Pierre GuillaumeVP engineering, TechsPace aero

tuRbOMEca ExpandS pRESEncE in u.S.

Turbomeca (Safran Group) has completed the construction of its new plant in Monroe, North Carolina. Spanning some 100,000 sq ft, this plant will start producing helicopter engine parts in June, and should have 180 employees by 2010. The new plant will help Turbomeca keep pace with the growth of its business in the American market, especially as supplier of engines for the U.S. Army’s UH-72A helicopters, while also increasing production capacity in the dollar zone (see page 26).

K MOREwww.turbomeca-usa.com

In January 2008, the Messier-Bugatti USA plant in Walton, Kentucky started production of wheels and carbon brakes, and shipped its first products. A plant extension was built in less than a year to handle this new activity. The aim is to increase production to keep pace with Messier-Bugatti’s growing business in North America. In addition to supplying wheels and carbon brakes for the Boeing 767, 777LR, 787 and 737NG commercial airplanes, Messier-Bugatti also supplies these products for the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 tankers and C-17 cargo aircraft.

K MOREwww.le-webmag.comwww.messier-bugattiusa.com

Messier-Bugatti kicks off wheel and carbon brake production in the U.S.

Techspace Aero (Safran Group) is coordinating all work on the low-pressure compressor, or booster, being developed through the European research program VITAL. Financed by the European Commission, VITAL is a four-year program that aims to significantly reduce the noise and CO2 emissions generated by aircraft engines. Fellow Group company Snecma is leading a consortium of 53 partners in this program, including Europe’s leading engine manufacturers and research organizations. The booster developed by Techspace Aero will be tested during the first half of 2008 at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors (CIAM) in Moscow, to validate the technologies used. The idea is to develop a lighter, more compact unit, coupled with better aerodynamic performance.

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fOcuS On cOMpOSitESSnecma Propulsion Solide (Safran Group) is strengthening its position in the aviation composites market. Having already developed the carbon composite material that Messier-Bugatti used to become the world’s leading supplier of aircraft carbon brakes, Snecma Propulsion Solide is now teaming up with Snecma and Aircelle to develop composite nozzles for commercial airplane engines. Snecma Propulsion Solide created a new Aeronautics and Composites division on January 1st to further develop this business and provide a single point of contact for partners and customers alike.

Emirates’ technical training center has received an Airbus A340 landing gear leg as a gift from Messier Services (Safran Group), to help train student mechanics, an act that reflects Safran’s long-standing presence in the Middle East.


Landing gear gift for Emirates

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The wheel & brake production shop in Walton, KY, prior to startup.

fiRSt tEStS Of SilvERcRESt cORE a SuccESS

At the end of January, Snecma (Safran Group) announced the initial results of a series of tests of the Silvercrest engine core demonstrator. Based on 35 hours of operation, all performance objectives were met. These tests confirmed the performance delivered by the compressor and combustor, plus the efficiency of the high-pressure turbine, as well as checking the dynamic behavior of the entire core Designed for super-midsize to large business jets, the Silvercrest engine family is rated at 9,500 to 12,000 lb of thrust. Snecma is the first manufacturer in this thrust class to validate a new engine concept and test it on a core demonstrator. Tests started last December at the Snecma plant in Villaroche, near Paris, and will be completed in March 2008.

K MOREwww.le-webmag.com, “Three questions for...”.

cORE tEStS at a glancE

• 660 parameters monitored in real time.• Parameters checked: compression ratio, surge margin, compressor and high-pressure turbine blade clearance.

March 2008 _ safran magazine safran magazine _ March 2008

08-09insightsponsorship. To enhance its public image and develop its corporate culture, Safran is sponsoring ocean racing in an original way: by commissioning its own ocean racing yacht, incorporating several of the Group’s distinctive technologies.

safran around the world

contest during which it consistently showed a good turn of speed. No won-der its rivals have dubbed it “the fighter plane”. This heady start makes it one of the leading contenders for the next Vendée Globe in November 2008. Meanwhile, the project has already helped to promote awareness of Safran: “We got a lot of media attention empha-sizing the Group’s high-tech image,” confirms Françoise Descheemaeker.

Enthusiasm for the project has seized the Group’s employees, thousands of whom crowded into the traveling exhibition of photos shown at 14 Safran plants… not to mention the hundreds of others who followed the Transat Jacques Vabre hour after hour on the website set up by Safran for the occasion (www.safran-sixty.com). ■

G. Sequeira-MartinS

When it was formed in 2005, the new Safran Group wanted to establish a solid global reputation and devel-

op a dynamic corporate culture, based on a passion for performance, team spirit and total quality. Sports sponsorship was identified at the time as one way to achieve this end. Since technological expertise is the Safran Group’s trademark, it sought a sport that could use advanced technolo-gies – and sailing immediately became an obvious choice. It is also a discipline that encourages going beyond one’s normal limits. In the words of corpo-rate vice president for communications Françoise Descheemaeker, “It’s a sport whose values of commitment, courage, team spirit and innovation are in keep-ing with our own.” To get the sponsorship project going as early as possible, Safran raised its pen-nant in 2006 on a leased boat, the for-mer Kingfisher which Ellen MacArthur had sailed into second place in the last Vendée Globe round-the-world solo race. This preliminary phase enabled Marc Guillemot, an experienced mul-tihull skipper, to refamiliarize himself with monohull sailing. In the mean-time Safran set up its project team, helped draw up the boat’s specifications and confirmed the technical choices to be embodied in the future Safran. Two naval architects were chosen: Guillaume Verdier, a monohull special-ist, and Vincent Lauriot Prévost, an expert in multihull design. The result was a highly innovative prototype, drawing on expertise in both areas. Construction of the IMOCA Open 60 class boat (International Monohull Class Association, an ocean racing class for 60-foot boats) was assigned to the Larros shipyard.

all hands on deck! Employees from different Safran com-panies were deeply involved in this proj-ect over a period of a year. More than 70 engineers and technicians pitched in to help the naval architects and the shipyard. Embodying the dreams of Safran and Marc Guillemot alike, the 60-foot (18,28 meter) monohull is a distillation of theoretical expertise,

GuILLAuME VErDIEr GuillauMe Verdier, one of the two naVal architectS who deSiGned the ocean racer Safran, recallS the Special bondS eStabliShed with the Group’S enGineerinG teaMS and the SharinG of experience that lie behind the boat’S conception.

What did safran contribute to the boat’s design? Safran contributed extensive advice, expertise and technologies, but above all it provided a rigorous approach to the work process. The traditional design sequence with its three stages – sketch, first draft and finished design – was refined with a system of meetings to review each step and record the reasons for each decision.

What are the advantages of this work method? The fact that decisions can be traced prevents accidental interference with

decisions taken earlier, and also helps avoid time-wasting by rehashing choices already made. When a doubt or problem arises, a glance at the database is enough to explain why a particular decision was made.

What is it that makes safran special as a sponsor? Safran embodies an engineering culture, something that is quite rare among sponsors. Nevertheless, they haven’t interfered at all. The teams got along very well, so we had time to do things properly. I think that helps explain the quality of the results.

When engineers set sail

practical know-how and state-of-the-art technology. For instance, it uses a lithium-ion battery developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité for the Félin inte-grated equipment suite for tomorrow’s infantry soldiers. Another example is the boat’s canting keel system, which benefited from the hydraulics expertise of Messier-Bugatti. The hull itself also took advantage of the Group’s know-how, industrial facilities and experience with large-scale high-tech projects (see box on right). This unique partnership has an intrinsic logic, the skipper Marc Guillemot is convinced: “Aeronautical techniques are often close to the sort of requirements we have with boats. I’m especially thinking of composite materials, electrical generators and the design engineering needed for certain parts. This help was invaluable to us; in fact it was a dream come true to have access to all those skills and long may it continue! At every meeting or even every phone call, the Safran teams were always there with new solutions. The whole crew has always felt like we had very solid support.”

Transat Jacques Vabre, an exciting debutAfter a year of unflagging efforts, Safran was launched in August 2007 and formally christened at Le Havre on September 1, in a ceremony for 500 Group employees (from 17 companies) and their families. Two and a half months later, Safran finished second in the Transat Jacques Vabre transatlantic race, less than an hour behind the win-ning boat, after a tense, suspenseful

VIEWPOINT

›december 2005: Safran announces its partnership with skipper Marc Guillemot.›november 2006: Marc Guillemot finishes 6th in the Route du Rhum in the boat leased by the Safran Group. ›august 2007: Launch of the ocean racer Safran designed by naval architects Guillaume Verdier and Vincent Lauriot Prévost with the help of Safran companies. ›november 2007: After 17 days at sea, Marc Guillemot takes second place in the Transat Jacques Vabre. The Safran Sailing Team is already working on plans to make the boat even faster. ›novembre 2008: Target “Le Vendée Globe”.

milestones

In November 2007, the Safran Open 60 monohull racing yacht finished second in the Transat Jacques Vabre race. Charles Caudrelier joined Marc Guillemot as co-skipper.

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10-11tomorrow

and electrical systems offer more design flexibility than hydraulic systems for fur-ther weight savings. Secondly, this design flexibility also means that systems can be customized to a heretofore unknown degree. Last but not least, maintenance will be more efficient, since electrical sys-tems allow real-time monitoring and are easier to troubleshoot than having to find a hydraulic fluid leak. But despite these clear advantages, wires and electric motors will not replace

hydraulic pumps and pipes overnight. The increased use of onboard electrical power is indeed a revolution, but to realize the full benefits the entire aircraft architec-ture has to be taken into consideration. And because aircraft design is a long-term process, all partners and suppliers have to work together from the outset to develop tomorrow’s airplanes.

fostering disruptive technologiesThe Safran Power Electronics Center was launched in 2004 to develop the technol-ogy building blocks, which will be gradu-ally integrated in robust new solutions. Hispano-Suiza is the Group leader for this program. “SPEC was initiated with the electrically actuated thrust reverser for the A380, the first time we faced the chal-lenges of power electronics on this type of equipment,” explains Serge Bérenger, Vice President, Strategy and R&T at Hispano-Suiza. “SPEC was created as an incuba-tor to foster the emergence of disruptive technologies and share this knowledge with the 11 Group companies concerned by more electric aircraft. It draws on a vast network of university labs to lever-age our own research efforts. In fact, the success of SPEC depends on striking a balance between the worlds of industry and research, as well as on the leadership qualities of its managing director, Régis Meuret.” SPEC has a two-pronged mission: devel-oping the technologies required, and managing the risks associated with these technologies. Both of these aspects are based on TRL, or Technology Readiness Levels, a process which expresses different levels of technical maturity for emerging technologies in relation to the stipulated deadlines and imperatives of risk manage-ment. “SPEC is the ‘upstream’ technology facet of this process,” adds Bérenger. “There is another program called Amperes, man-aged by Didier-François Godart at the Research & Technology division, that is responsible for the design and develop-ment of the system architectures that will make use of the technologies developed through SPEC [see box]. SPEC will allow

us to investigate the array of possibili-ties before making choices and starting the more concrete and costly maturation phase.”

Compact, reliable and thermally efficient SPEC’s goals for 2010-12 are to make these systems more compact (four-fold decrease in weight and volume) increase the reliability of electrical systems and enhance the thermal efficiency of aircraft and engine systems. A symposium orga-nized at the end of 2007 came up with a progress roadmap. “For the moment we have achieved equivalent weights for conventional and new technologies, but our electrical architectures already offer better reliability,” notes Bérenger. The main question is project feasibility, which is the goal of the Amperes demonstration program. In two years, we’ll be ready for a new progress review, as the first product demonstrators are rolled out. ■

P. François

J etliners that take to the skies in 2015-2020 will be using elec-tricity for a growing number of functions. The latest Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 widebod-ies are paving the way for the

next generation of single-aisle twinjets. There are three main reasons behind the trend towards “more electric” aircraft, starting with the eternal goal of reducing aircraft weight and thus fuel consumption. Wires are lighter than pipes to begin with,

speC. The traditional hydraulic and pneumatic circuits used on aircraft are gradually being replaced by lighter, more efficient electrical systems. The Safran Power Electronics Center (SPEC) is leading the drive towards tomorrow’s “electric” aircraft.

Towards more elecTric airplanes

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“Integrating electrical systems on aircraft means we have to optimize the overall architecture to take advantage of the specific advantages of electrical power,” explains Didier-François Godart, Amperes project manager at the Safran R&T division. These projects involve the collaboration of several Group companies. Four projects are now under development: Power Plant System (Snecma, Hispano-Suiza, Aircelle); Landing System (Messier-Dowty, Messier-Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza, Sagem Défense Sécurité); All-electric Wing Flight Actuation (Sagem Défense Sécurité, Hispano-Suiza); Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (Labinal). Amperes and SPEC are complementary: SPEC develops

the technologies, and Amperes the architectures. “The aim is to demonstrate the technical maturity and robustness of our solutions by 2010-11, the expected kickoff date for the development of new medium-haul jetliners,” adds Godart. “Because of the major challenges involved in these programs, with the potential number of sales and quick ramp-up in production, we have to start working with the airframers today, so they can integrate Safran’s work in their design studies. This type of approach is fully in line with aircraft manufacturers’ current objective of encouraging major equipment suppliers such as Safran to take greater responsibility in the supply of integrated work packages.”

›11 GroUp companies are worKinG on “more elecTric” aircraFT: Aircelle, Hispano-Suiza, Labinal, Messier-Bugatti, Messier-Dowty, Safran, Sagem Défense Sécurité, Snecma, Technofan, Techspace Aero, Turbomeca.

Hispano-suiza’s copper Bird test platform, designed to check out new “more electric” aircraft system technologies, complements the spec research initiative.

Technology demonstration AMPERES

Product development, next-generation single-aisle jets

Validation tests AMPERES

Disruptive technology projects Safran Power Electronics Center (SPEC)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Concept

FeasibilityFunctional model

PrototypesRig testing

Ground testsFlight tests

Service entry

Feedback (2 years after service entry)

THe reseArcH process

TRL (Technology Readiness Level) process: each stage in the cycle is carried out continuously and irrigates the other stages in line with program requirements.

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Power transmission (wiring and energy management)

Landing gear

Propulsion system (engine + nacelle)

Actuators (especially for flight control)

Support services are booming in the civil aviation sector, and are now a pivotal part of the market.

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THE FAST-CHANGING SERVICE MARKETP. 14

SERVICE SYNERGIES IN SYNCH AT SAFRANP. 16

ENGINES AND SERVICE, TOGETHER FOR LIFE!P. 17

total SERVICE

facts & figures

special report+ 46 % Increase in the number of aircraft in service from 2007 to 2016.

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>17,000CFM56 engines in service worldwide, generating high-volume support business.

$ 55 billionValue of the MRO market in 2016, according to Aerostrategy.

A GROWING SLATE OF EQUIPMENT SERVICESP. 20

14-15special reportbackground. Air travel is booming these days, and more money than ever is at stake in aircraft maintenance services. But competition is also fierce, and new players are investing in this growth market.

the fast-changing service market

safran magazine _ March 2008March 2008 _ safran magazine

VIEWPOINT

FrANk JAckmAN,editor-in-chief of AviAtion Week overhAul And MAintenAnce

besides outsourcing, what are the other current trends in the air transport industry?spare parts management is also experiencing a transformation. today, airlines want their suppliers to manage spare parts. they no longer want to be responsible for warehouses loaded with very costly parts. suppliers have understood this trend, and have

adapted to these new requirements.

are counterfeit parts a real problem for the air transport industry? it’s still a relatively minor problem. OeMs are in fact more worried about parts designated PMa, for “Parts Manufacturing approval”, which are certified parts made by other manufacturers. if OeMs want to compete for airline business, they will have to counter-attack by offering less expensive parts, and above all by providing new services to differentiate

themselves from simple manufacturers.

air traffic in asia is booming these days – is Mro capacity growing at the same rate? this is a major stumbling block for the near future. traffic growth in the Middle east, china and especially india will soon demand additional infrastructure if we don’t want this growth to be nipped in the bud. things are more stable in North america and europe, where current facilities match the needs of a mature market.

The figures speak for themselves: there were nearly 18,500 com-mercial airplanes in service around the world in 2007, and

this should increase to 27,000 or more by 2016. The service life of a com-mercial airplane spans decades, while the auto industry, for instance, calcu-lates in terms of years, and replaces its models ten times as fast. “That makes for tremendous differences in terms of technical support and other services,” says David Steward from the consulting firm Aerostrategy. “Longer service life means more maintenance is needed, and the long-distance nature of aircraft implies huge requirements in terms of logistics and the geographical distribu-tion of infrastructure.” The industry term is mrO – mainte-nance, repair and overhaul. mrO needs grow in tandem with fleet size, and are undergoing major transformations, starting with increased outsourcing. Airlines now call on outside companies for some 52% of their mrO services, and this will increase to 62% by 2016 according to Aerostrategy. “This trend primarily reflects companies refocusing on their core business,” notes Stewart. “Airlines, and especially the low-cost carriers that are driving today’s growth, know that their maintenance costs are higher than what specialized mrO firms can offer. Another factor behind this trend is an extremely broad offer-ing of services, along with the high level of investment needed to set up a modern maintenance shop.”

oEMs and airlinesEngines account for the largest part of the aircraft mrO market, at about 35% of total business volume. In fact, maintenance services are generating a larger and larger share of engine manu-facturers’ overall revenues. “Services are a very important part of the finan-cial equation for engine-makers, and it also keeps them in direct contact with the end user,” explains Stewart. “Services are critical for all OEms [orig-inal equipment manufacturers], since it

allows them to stand out from the compe-tition.” OEms are therefore major players in the mrO market – but far from the only ones! Over the last few years specialists such as Lufthansa Technik, Air France Industries and ST Aerospace [affili-ated with airlines or independent] have developed their capabilities in a drive to become world-class players. A third type of provider has also entered the market, namely non-traditional inves-tors who are attracted by the business

opportunities in a very healthy market. One of the best examples is Dubai Aerospace in the United Arab Emirates, which is helping turn the middle East into a

strong growth zone for aviation servic-es. However, the middle East is still a minor player with only 4% of the global market, well behind North America (39%), Europe (28%) and of course Asia (22%) – a region that everybody is watching very closely these days. ■

f. lert

According to the analysts at Aerostrategy, the MRO market will jump from $40 billion in 2006 to over $56 billion in 2016

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A Messier Services France team removing and replacing the two main landing gear on an A340-600.


16-17special reportpropulsion. The sale of a new airplane engine goes hand in hand with a service package – a situation that favors Group companies Snecma, Snecma Services and Turbomeca, and helps them boost their market share.

engines and service, together for life!

R ight from the initial design of an engine, you have to think about how customers will use it. And once the engine is sold, you

have to support your customers’ opera-tions. customer support covers a number of aspects, including maintenance, repair and overhaul (mrO) of course, but also spare parts, training and documentation. The trend is towards higher-value-added complete support packages and flat-rate support per flight hour. Because services are such an integral part of the engine life cycle, they are inextricably linked with the engine-maker’s business – and this applies to helicopter turbines as much as to com-mercial turbofans. “Services account for some 60 percent of Turbomeca’s sales, and the company’s ser-vice business is growing 15 percent a year, equally split between the civil and mili-tary sectors,” says Didier Desnoyer, head of operator support at Turbomeca (Safran Group). These heady figures owe nothing to chance: Turbomeca now holds 87% of the mrO market for its engines, and performs the same number of “shop visits” (engine removal for major overhauls) as for the cFm56. The decision to pair engine production and services seems to be the right one, as reflected in the current restructuring of this market. Back in the early 1990s, Allison, a U.S. manufacturer of turbine engines, mainly for helicopters, decided to outsource its services. Subsequently, it had to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, then in 1995 was acquired by rolls-royce, which decreased the number of licensed repair centers and re-acquired mrO facilities.

safran. Safran Group companies are leveraging synergies to offer services that give them a competitive advantage in this fast-growing market.

service synergies in synch at safran

F or a manufacturer, it’s now unthinkable to design an engine without incorporating technical support aspects. And customers

no longer buy hardware without also signing a contract for the associated services. In the aviation industry, this seem-ingly simple principle runs into rather more complex realities. manufacturers have to manage complete systems, as well as the interface with subsystems that are often made by second or third-tier suppliers. “Offering services is a way of moving up the value chain, while also providing customer support throughout product life, and enjoying the revenues generated through this activity,” explains Thierry Lasbleis, head of customer sup-port at messier-Bugatti, a Safran Group company.

oEM + services, a winning combinationWith markets changing more quickly than ever, customers also increasingly need business models that allow them

to plan ahead. In the aviation services market, a “service by the hour” solution is increasingly being used, meaning a fixed rate per flight-hour, so that airlines can better anticipate costs. “complete service packages with mod-ular options are a very effective solution used by engine-makers,” says Philippe

catté, head of the customer support division at Aircelle, also a Safran Group company. “Nacelle manufacturers like us are beginning to use this model as well.” The capabilities of Group compa-nies are also magnified by their ability to couple the service business with their innate expertise as the original equip-ment manufacturer, or OEm. “We can of course guarantee the price of OEm parts, which is a key advantage for our customers,” adds Thierry Lasbleis. This OEm expertise also underpins the offering of innovative solutions and reli-able technical services, which can differ-entiate a service supplier. To stand out in today’s fiercely competitive market, this is a vital factor. According to François Pichon, director of the Aircelle Europe Services repair center, “As a designer-manufacturer as well as service provider, we are in the best position for certain cutting-edge repairs, and of course we advertise this expertise. Plus, our repairs are better and quicker!” messier Services and messier-Bugatti can make the same OEm claim, and major airlines are very receptive to this argument.

pooled costsThe other type of synergy highlighted by Safran’s aviation companies is their ability to pool costs, especially for facilities located at airports. “We have to multiply our local contacts to really understand the fast-paced changes shaping the air transport industry,” emphasizes Alan Doherty, vice presi-dent for sales and business development at messier Services (Safran Group). We need to be close to our customers, and messier Services takes a multifaceted approach, spanning the development of local service solutions, such as local wheel and brake repair shops, the use of the Group’s local reps to negotiate con-tracts with our customers, and pooling the work carried out by technicians.” Furthermore, service partnership agree-ments have already been set up between Aircelle and Snecma Services, and the latter is holding discussions with mess-ier Services as well. Other agreements within the Safran Group will undoubt-edly follow. ■

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SAFRAN SERVICES WORLDWIDESafran’s MRO facilities are located in Australia, Belgium, China, France, Mexico, Morocco, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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Servicing an Arriel 1D engine on an Ecureuil helicopter.

LOCAL PRESENCE, A KEY TO TOP-FLIGHT SERVICE

“Because our customers are so scattered, we need a large number of facilities to ensure local support,” says a Turbomeca spokesperson. In addition to the Field Reps who are assigned specific zones, there are also service centers, and then repair centers for heavier-duty work. Turbomeca has seven facilities of its own, and has certified four others for work on civil helicopter engines. Another dozen are dedicated to military machines. “One advantage to our business is that our engines are relatively small, so we can ship them more easily to balance workload between our repair centers.” Snecma Services applies a similar approach: “We’re located as close to our customers as possible, through a worldwide network of repair shops, created in partnership with well-known airlines or other companies, such as Royal Air Maroc in Morocco, or ITP in Mexico.”


18-19special reportcfM56 Mro: a highly competitive marketThe service business for commercial jet engines is booming. There are over 17,000 cFm56 engines in operation, generating a tremendous mrO business volume. The two leaders in this market are the service arms of the manufactur-ing partners, GE Services and Snecma Services. “Although our two companies maintain their leadership, there are a number of competitors in this market, and our customers are free to choose their service provider,” notes michel Brioude, head of the commercial engines division at Snecma Services. “Our competitors may be independent repair shops, or airlines with their own service centers.” However, Snecma Services boasts a major advantage in this competition, namely its close links with the OEm, Snecma. “Because of this tough competition,” adds Brioude, “we have to give airlines a real service edge by drawing on our compre-hensive understanding of the engine and its operating environment.”

Monitoring engines in real timeThe commercial engine market is charac-terized by its overall size and the number of large operators. This is very different from the helicopter market, composed of a large number of smaller customers. “Although we have a few customers with fleets exceeding 300 machines, more than 85 percent of our customers oper-ate fewer than five helicopters, and 60 percent have just one,” says Didier Des-noyer. “It’s expensive trying to manage this type of scattered market, and it also makes it more difficult to manage feed-back, which is essential in the service business.” To overcome this handicap, Turbomeca is investing in a new initia-tive called SmmArT (System for mobile maintenance Accessible in real Time). This project provides for certain key com-ponents to be fitted with a chip and a satellite link, so that vital engine data is automatically sent to the operator, and then to Turbomeca.

VIEWPOINT

DALE WILkINSON,vice-President, MAteriAls MAnAgeMent, northWest Airlines

What are the advantages for a big airline like northwest to outsource maintenance and work with a company like snecma services?there are many advantages to

outsourcing maintenance for a large airline like Northwest but i'll focus on just one. cost reduction. Let's use the cfM56-5a as an example. if we had elected to perform maintenance for these engines back in 1989, we would have had to invest millions of dollars in facilities, tooling, equipment, labor, training and most of all, inventory. instead, we outsourced these engines and have been able to utilize all of the items listed above on a shared basis with other operators, paying only for what we need. there are also many advantages from working with a company like snecma services, far too many to discuss here. i'll choose one, cost reduction. snecma is able to offer us very competitive costs over the projected 23 year term of our agreements. as the OeM, they are cost advantaged for materials vs. independent shops who, for the most part, still have to purchase the majority of high cost materials from the OeM. We have not seen a business

case so far where independent shops can overcome this material cost disadvantage with repairs and PMas. While there is lots of talk about future PMas for life limited parts and the like, we enjoy the material cost benefits today while others wait for development, test and approval of future PMas. Only time will tell who has taken the most cost-effective path but we are very confident that Northwest made the right decision.

What were the reasons to work with snecma services vs. other Mro suppliers?Northwest chose snecma services over other MrO providers based upon many factors including, but not limited to, cost, quality, consistent performance, regulatory compliance, resources, technical expertise and infrastructure. We have stayed with snecma services for all of those reasons and because of the deep relationships we have developed over the past eleven years. Northwest has gone through several ups and downs, including bankruptcy and reorganization, and snecma services never wavered once in their commitment to us or in their outstanding support. We have no finer supplier than snecma services.

For cFm56 specialist Snecma Ser-vices, the top priority is to help operators reduce their maintenance costs, and thus their total cost of ownership. “We aim to increase engine life ‘on wing’, which decreases the cost per flight-hour over the medium and long term,” explains michel Brioude. The key to this objective is remote monitoring of engine health. “By keeping permanent track of engines in service, our technical teams analyze the operating data and can reduce the num-ber of emergency servicing operations and engine removals.” Snecma Services is very heavily involved in this program, since it remotely monitors a large num-ber of engines. And as Brioude points out, “It’s also a way for us to add value to services, and to carve out a distinctive position in the increasingly competitive cFm56 maintenance market.”

service by the hourThe fast-paced growth of discount air-lines has considerably changed the main-tenance market and diversified require-ments. Some carriers still ask for simple repairs on demand. But others want a more complete package, from better cost control to complete fleet management support. One theme pops up frequently: contracts per flight hour. “In 2007, about half of our business was generated by contracts per flight hour or exclusive con-

tracts1,” notes Brioude. “This ratio should remain about the same, because the idea of the long-term contract is advantageous for both parties. An agreement of this type, based on offering customers a com-plete slate of assistance services, ensures maximum reliability, reduced costs and better planning for shop visits.” contracts will probably continue to evolve in the future. For instance, on request from its customers, cFm Interna-tional is already working on the develop-ment of comprehensive contracts includ-ing not only the sale of the engine, but also a service package with mrO and the supply and repair of spare parts. Turbomeca has built up extensive expe-rience with modular and by the hour (BTH) contracts. “We are continually analyzing the market and adapting our range of services,” notes Didier Desnoyer. “Today we sell an engine along with the associated support services. Tomorrow, why not sell a given number of kilowatts of installed power? Wouldn’t that be the ultimate form of service delivery?” ■

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1. An excellent example is Northwest Airlines of the United States, which has just extended a “power by the hour” contract with Snecma Services, covering its whole fleet, until 2020.

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Borescope inspection on a CFM56-5A.

On-site inspection of a CFM56-5B on an Air Moldova Airbus A320, within the scope of an EMOS contract (Engine Maintenance On Site).

20-21special reportEQuipMEnT. Aircraft equipment and system manufacturers are offering a growing range of services, an excellent way of developing their business while also maintaining close links with customers.

a growing slate of services

O ur customers today have two main expectations,” explains Thierry Lasbleis, head of cus-tomer support at messier-Bugatti.

“First, that we guarantee the operational availability of our equipment throughout the life of their aircraft. Secondly, that we provide a business model that allows them to predict their maintenance costs, especially in today’s market characterized by several wildly fluctuating costs, namely the U.S. dollar and jet fuel prices.” messier-Bugatti, a Safran Group com-pany, provides carbon brakes for a rapidly growing fleet that now numbers nearly 10,000 aircraft, mainly commercial jets with over 100 seats, and deploys a global customer support network. As Lasbleis says, “Equipment manufacturers have to

1. AVIONICSavionics maintenance sometimes involves very meticulous work, as shown here at sagem avionics in texas.

2. NACELLES aircelle provides on-site servicing whenever necessary.

3. LANDING GEARa specialty at singapore-based Messier services asia is Boeing 747 landing gear maintenance.

deliver real turnkey services to meet this burgeoning demand.” most companies in the Safran Group have to provide services along with their products. most recently, Sagem Défense Sécurité set up a dedicated customer sup-port department at its Avionics division on July 1, 2007. According to department head Emmanuel cazali, “Our unit was founded to improve customer satisfaction and expand our range of services. Ser-vices already generate about 20% of the Avionics division’s sales, and this share will undoubtedly rise in the future.”

growing focus on servicesAnother example of this trend can be found at nacelle specialist Aircelle, which set up an airline support organi-

zation in 2002, including repair centers in Europe, the Americas and Asia. “We provide a range of mrO services, but for the moment they only account for 10% of our total revenues, which is insufficient,” admits Philippe catté, head of the com-pany’s customer support division. There are two main reasons for this: nacelles do not require regular maintenance, and the company’s products are still relatively young. “But we are developing our service offering in conjunction with engine-makers, who offer engine/nacelle packages,” adds Jean-François Pichon, head of Aircelle Europe Services, the company’s service arm. “We’re working with rolls-royce on the Trent 700, Gen-eral Electric on the cF34 and Snecma on the Sam146.” Another airline requirement is a global presence, and that’s one of the special-ties at messier Services, the landing system mrO company. To increase its share of the Boeing market, which cur-rently stands at only 5%, messier Services recently opened a major facility in mex-ico. “Growth is now concentrated in the United States,” says Alan Doherty, vice president for sales and business develop-ment at messier Services International. “In another five to eight years, growth will shift to Asia. We have about 45% of the Airbus market in our sector, but the Airbus fleets in Asia are still too young to generate significant service business.”

billing per flight hourEquipment makers are focusing on a new area of development to stand out in a global market, namely flat-rate bill-ing per cycle or hour of flight. This is a

risk for the service providers, but one in which the odds are on their side, given their in-depth knowledge of the product. And it applies in particular to messier-Bugatti, which supplies carbon brakes on new aircraft, and then bills according to “cost per landing” (i.e., the customer pays according to the number of landings logged by the brake). “Traditionally, these contracts apply to expendable items such as carbon brakes,” notes Thierry Las-bleis. “Our aim is to extend their reach to encompass other equipment which is usually serviced ‘on condition’, and not on a regular schedule.” Success in this highly competitive field depends on applying several prin-ciples which are not as simple as they first appear: continuous innovation and technical services that offer a distinctive difference. ■

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400% From 2006 to 2016, the service market for landing gear (including the first and second general overhaul) should increase about 30% on widebody commercial jets, according to estimates by Messier Services. And because of the huge jump in sales by Airbus and Boeing, the growth for single-aisle twinjets should reach 400%!

ELECTRONICS MAINTENANCEBecause of its specialized technical experience, Messier-Bugatti was chosen by Cathay Pacific in 2007 to provide maintenance and repair services for the braking & steering control units on the largest fleet of Airbus A330 and A340 jets in the world.

VIEWPOINT

IAIN LAcHLAN,eMirAtes Airlines’ senior vP AircrAft MAintenAnce

What are the advantages to outsourcing maintenance ?

Outsourcing maintenance to third-party organizations is very important and not taken lightly, with numerous factors taken into consideration before any decision is taken. enhancing internal capabilities versus outsourcing is a norm for consideration as part of the decision-making process along with conducting cost-benefit analysis reviews. However, even if we enter into outsourcing, a continual review of the activities are regularly taken to ensure we are obtaining what is right for the business.

and what are the reasons to work with Messier services versus other Mro suppliers ?the relationship to date between emirates and Messier services has been good. Messier services have been reactive, extremely supportive, flexible and professional in assisting emirates to maintain its operation both in its normal activities and in times of system deficiencies. recent difficulties experienced with the a330 and a340

undercarriage have highlighted how well suppliers can work at implementing a program that mitigates risk to the operation and why we hold Messier services in high regard. Whilst this is being accomplished efficiently and effectively, it however has caused disruption to our landing gear overhaul program, mainly due to shortage of landing gear parts that are required for overhaul. all said, it is important to ensure we all appreciate that relationships have to be worked on continually by both parties in order to be maintained at the good level currently experienced.in addition to our normal relationship, it is important to again place on record our thanks that Messier services have endorsed our vision that training of engineering personnel is vital and supported our initiative by donating a main undercarriage leg for our training facility. Working with Messier services with its links to the OeM indeed has further advantages. in addition i would like to commend all three companies (Messier services, Messier-Bugatti, Messier-Dowty) in the level of aftermarket support they are providing emirates.

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Rafale M MISSION DePlOYMeNT


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Indian Ocean, March 2007. 12 naval Rafale M aircraft deployed. 12 Safran companies contribute to this multirole fighter.

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panorama1. PRePaRaTIONThe Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier is cruising off the coast of Pakistan. A Rafale F2 lines up before its catapult launch. To ensure the aircraft’s precise alignment, the deck crew guides the pilot.

2. TaKeOffThe tow-bar on the nose landing gear, made by Messier-Dowty, is hooked to a shuttle running along the catapult rail. The Rafale is ready to take off. The pilot gives it full throttle and, after the green light from the launch officer, the “holdback” releases the aircraft, which will reach a speed of 250 km/h by the time it travels the 75 meters to the end of the flight deck.

3. DeCK laNDINGFive hours and several aerial refueling operations later, the Rafale is ready to land on the aircraft carrier. Its Messier-Dowty landing gear ensures a perfect landing, absorbing a shock equal to 11.75 metric tons at a sink rate of about 6.5 meters/second. The plane is then brought to a halt when its tail hook grabs one of the taut cables stretched across the deck.

4. POST-flIGHT CHeCKThe crews spring into action and carry out a post-flight visual check of the landing gear while the aircraft is “moored” by the flight deck and hangar crew.

5. eNGINe ReMOValFor quick checks and servicing, Snecma’s M88 engines are designed to be removed and reinstalled in the record time of just 40 minutes.

6. BReaKBetween two incoming flight waves, one of the flight deck crew members takes a break against a leg of Rafale’s main landing gear (fitted with a Messier-Bugatti braking system).

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SafRaN eQUIPMeNT PROVeN IN COMBaT

A unit from the French navy’s air arm was deployed to the Indian Ocean for four months from February to June 2007, as part of the “Agapanthe” mission which involved some 3,000 naval personnel. A full month was devoted to the operation “Héraclès Air Indien” in the skies of Afghanistan, to support the coalition’s troops. The operation involved some 30 aircraft, including 12 carrier-borne Rafale F1 and F2 fighters. All systems and equipment supplied by Safran companies, including Snecma’s M88 engines, showed their reliability during 1,071 hours of flight under difficult conditions: heat, humidity, dust, heavy under-wing loads.

See the Safran website at www.safran-group.com (Aircraft Applications), for a complete list of all Rafale systems and equipment supplied by Group companies.

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Turbomeca, a Safran Group com-pany, set a new record in 2007 by producing a total of 1,274 engines. This beat the previous record set

some 28 years ago, a heady total of 1,230 engines produced in 1979. Turbomeca’s impressive performance last year was the result of a well orchestrated plan, based on measures designed to meet a real two-pronged challenge: ensure a long-term rise in production rates to meet sustained demand while continuously improving both product and service quality. Meeting this daunting challenge demanded changes in the production process itself. The first piece in the puz-zle was “Turbo+”, an approach designed to resolve any production problem as soon as it arises. Turbomeca also started setting up autonomous production units at the same time, in 2005. This also allowed staff to monitor problems and eliminate them as quickly as pos-sible. “Through the autonomous units, we were able to move our methods and engineering departments closer to the production teams,” recalls Pierre-Yves Morvan, vice president, integration and purchasing. By combining these two ini-tial actions, Turbomeca generated some spectacular results (see box). Next, Turbomeca expanded its pro-duction facilities to meet sustained market demand. The Eole project in Bordes (southwest France) will see the construction of a brand-new build-ing spanning more than 57,000 square meters (615,600 sq ft). Replacing the

growth. To keep pace with strong demand for its helicopter engines, Turbomeca has revamped its organization and made major capital investments. These moves have already generated significant improvements in terms of the number of engines produced and quality indicators.

Enhancing thE production procEss


marketscurrent facilities, it allows Turbomeca to group the production shops that were previously scattered in several locations, along with the design, quality and sup-port units. International demand is so strong that new plants are being built outside France to meet this demand, and also to help Turbomeca break through in specific markets. “We are setting up facilities in strategic locations,” notes Morvan. “Having production capacity on site allows us to expand our busi-ness.”

a new plant in the U.s. For instance, Turbomeca has built a 108,000 sq ft plant in the United States, in Monroe, North Carolina, on a 16 hectare (40 acre) site. Scheduled for completion in mid-2008, it will pro-duce components for the Arriel engines (blades, compressors, mechanically-welded housings) that power the U.S. Coast Guard’s HH-65 and the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Lakota helicopters. In addition to meeting growing demand, this plant will also help reduce Turbo-meca’s exposure to the current unfavor-

Turbo+, spearheading qualiTy

The approach embodied in the Turbo+ initiative was borrowed from the auto industry, but is rarely seen in the aircraft industry. Led by Philippe Larrauri, vice president, quality at Turbomeca, this approach is based on the early detection of problems and their immediate resolution. As soon as a defect is observed, the line is stopped and secured. Teams characterize the problem, then design and apply an action plan to eliminate it. Implemented in 2004, this method has delivered impressive results. In just two years, engine returns have plummeted by 80%, while quality claims have dropped 60% and production delays 30%. These figures are even more impressive since production jumped 30% over the same period.

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the Eole project will give turbomeca a brand-new facility covering over 57,000 m² in Bordes, southwest France.

able euro/dollar exchange rate. Similar reasons were behind the cre-ation of a joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Changkong. Started in 2007, this joint venture already has 20 employees and will be in charge of assembling control units. As Pierre-Yves Morvan explains, “This is another case of supporting our business development by staking out a position as a construc-tive and above all local partner.” Tur-bomeca already powers one out of every two helicopters in the pivotal Chinese market.

Uniting to meet common goalsTo further improve its cost-effec-tiveness, Turbomeca has totally out-sourced the procurement, purchasing and quality control of commodity parts such as nuts and bolts. Consid-ered “Class C” hardware, these com-ponents account for some 3,000 parts numbers out of a total of 16,000. This is a global initiative, spanning all of the company’s facilities worldwide. One of the main instigators of this

TighTer relaTions wiTh suppliers

While reducing the number of suppliers by 20%, Turbomeca will also focus on closer relations. A dedicated website will be opened during the first half of 2008, providing access to technical specifications, orders and supply plans. Turbomeca will no longer have to check procurement timetables itself, since each supplier can now do this directly online. Negotiating procedures will only be activated if there is a problem. “That will help accelerate information flows,” predicts Pierre-Yves Morvan, vice president, integration and purchasing. “Suppliers will have the right documents immediately, which will help us boost productivity and reliability, while focusing on our financial performance.”

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assembling an arrius2B turboshaft engine. technician mounts a plenum chamber.


marketsCenters of expertise for eaCh type of part

Turbomeca is accelerating improvement by setting up centers of industrial expertise to group everybody involved in a given family of parts. By consolidating all disciplines and resources (engineering, production, purchasing, management control, human resources, etc.) at all Turbomeca sites, these centers will handle the development, production and support of their assigned parts. Turbomeca created the first two centers in 2007, for control systems and assembly/testing. In early 2008 it will set up centers in charge of reduction gearboxes, air ducts, rotating assemblies, combustion, structures and hydromechanical assemblies.

decision was the creation in 2005 of a procurement center, consolidat-ing the procurement, purchasing and quality control departments. Sharing office space, they quickly learned to work together. According to Pierre-Yves Morvan, this was an irresistible process: “In the beginning they just coordinated their actions in relation to suppliers, then they started to carry out joint visits, and now they set com-mon goals!” Another key to the effectiveness of the new organization is an increase in staffing, from 45 in 2005 to 90 today. These additional resources and change in methods have borne fruit. The defect rate has dropped from 10,000 ppm (parts per million) in 2005 to 2,500 ppm in 2007. The missing parts rate (parts missing when needed for assembly) has become negligible, dropping from 20% in 2005 to 1.8% today. But Pierre-Yves Morvan has no inten-tion of resting on his laurels. “Now that we have established the conditions needed to handle production growth and ensure quality, we will reduce our supplier base and strengthen our relations so we can focus on further boosting performance (see box).” In

The current Bordes plant.

particular, Turbomeca has set up spe-cialized centers of industrial expertise for each type of part (see box). Today’s sustained market demand means that Turbomeca will continue to set new

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records, and it will also continue to apply the measures needed to stay on track. ■

G. Sequeira-MartinS

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Turbomeca USA’s plant in Grand Prairie, Texas includes the original building (in the foreground) and an extension built in 2006 (in back), for total floorspace of 10,400 m². Part of the building houses subsidiary Microturbo.

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sTraTegy. With a new majority shareholder, Sagem Communications now has the resources needed to become a world leader in broadband communications and convergence technologies.

Sagem CommuniCationS headed for new horizonS

In January 2008, Safran finalized its sale of Sagem Communications to The Gores Group, a California-based investment firm. Sagem Communica-

tions, a 1.3 billion euro company with 6,500 employees, is specialized in broad-band communications and convergence technologies, including printing termi-nals, digital TV set-top boxes, broad-band and residential terminals, telecom systems and partnerships. This market is expanding, but is also undergoing global consolidation. According to Sagem Communications chairman and CEO Patrick Sevian, “We swung back to the black in 2007, and hold European leadership positions in our markets. But until now, we didn’t have the critical mass needed to play a top-tier role in the global market. “Our business plan is to become one of the world leaders in broadband terminals and convergence solutions, through both organic growth and acquisitions.”

seizing opportunities Even better than Safran, focused on the aerospace, defense and security markets, The Gores Group can provide Sagem Communications with the resources needed to seize opportunities in today’s market and build a hub offering broader international coverage. “The telecom business does not really offer the opti-mum path for technological and com-mercial synergies with Safran’s other businesses,” notes Xavier Lagarde, exec-utive vice president of Safran and head of the Communications branch. Sagem Communications will therefore be shap-

ViEWPOinT

STEVEn YAGEr, Senior Managing Director of MergerS-acquiSitionS, the goreS group

The acquisition of Sagem Communications is especially important for The Gores Group, since it’s our first transaction of this size in France. The company is operating in a growth market, spanning gateways, set-top boxes and printing terminals. Our goal is for Sagem Communications to keep pace with this trend by developing its business through both organic growth and acquisitions. The sector is still highly fragmented, but it is in the process of consolidation, and we plan to make Sagem Communications the hub of a world-class

player based in France. We are therefore planning further acquisitions, and our position as an integral part of the American economy, along with our financial support, will facilitate this growth. We are applying this development strategy in full agreement with company management, and we will be providing unstinting support.

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ing its development with The Gores Group, but Safran nonetheless retains a 10% stake, as well as being represented on the company’s supervisory board. Furthermore, Sagem Communications’ employees and management are heavily involved in this project, since they hold some 20% of the new company’s share capital. ■

B. Dietz

a new logo reflecting Sagem Communications’ development as part of the gores group.

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marketsInnOVaTIOn. Composites are emerging as the material of choice for aircraft engine nacelles. Aircelle has therefore opened a new composites laboratory to consolidate its cutting-edge position in this richly promising market.

Nacelles: the future looks composite

SkillS from Space

Snecma Propulsion Solide, a fellow Safran Group company headquartered in Bordeaux, took its first steps in the composite aircraft nacelles segment as recently as 2005, but things have moved fast since then. Under partnership agreements with Aircelle, SPS is manufacturing composite skins for the internal fixed structure (IFS) of the Airbus A380 nacelle, and the mixed flow nozzle (MFN) for the SaM146 engine, which will power the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet. The MFN is being produced under a proportional risk and revenue sharing partnership between SPS and Aircelle. “This is the first time we have entered into a design-through-production agreement in the civil aviation sector, and we are right on schedule,” says Jean-Michel Georges, civil aviation programs manager at SPS.

“Aircelle chose SPS because of our expertise in composite materials. The MFN for example, contains 70% composites. But it was also thanks to our willingness to enter into a risk-share, which showed our commitment to making headway in the civil aviation market.” By applying technologies and skills developed for solid rocket motors to the aviation industry, SPS is looking to move into a new growth sector to compensate for a flat space propulsion market. “We are confident that the expertise offered by Bordeaux in the design, engineering and production of composite components will find additional outlets in the aviation market,” concludes Jean-Michel Georges. “It would have been a shame if all this potential were only available to customers in the space market.”

Tomorrow’s nacelles will inevitably be made of composite materials. “In the 1980s, aircraft like the DC8 had all-metal nacelles,”

explains Pascal Marchant, Research & Technology program manager at Aircelle (Safran Group). “Today, the nacelles on the Airbus A380 contain about 60% composite materials.” There are several reasons behind this development. First, composite materials are about half as dense as aluminum, enabling significant weight savings for propulsion systems and the aircraft as a whole. “Reducing aircraft weight means lower fuel consumption,” stresses Marchant. Secondly, composite components can be made as single-piece parts, and integrated in a single step, unlike yesterday’s multi-part assemblies. This goes hand-in-hand with another benefit: there are no restrictions on component geometry. “We have a range of processes that allow us to deliver literally any feasible geometry,” adds Marchant. Complex configurations like double curves are now possible. A further significant advantage is that composite materials enhance acoustic performance in a way that metal does not. The A380, for example, has been dubbed “the silent giant”, notably due

to the acoustic qualities of the nacelle, which makes the new Airbus super-jumbo almost as quiet as a single-aisle aircraft one-third its size. Improvements in the intrinsic properties of nacelles through the use of composite materials, and the associated fuel savings, make the new technology extremely attractive to airlines and planemakers. Composite nacelles can also increase resistance to fatigue, thereby helping reduce maintenance requirements.

still a lot to learn…As part of its drive to deliver low cost of ownership solutions, Aircelle – a leading supplier of composite components to the aircraft industry – is investing heavily in research and development to optimize the composite material production pro-cess and thus offset the additional costs that are still associated with their use. Generally made of a fiber-based rein-forcement (glass or carbon fiber) and a binder (epoxy type resin, for instance), composite materials have not yet yielded all of their secrets. Aircelle’s ongoing efforts to grow its expertise through research were given a renewed boost in November 2007 with the opening of a dedicated composites laboratory at Le

Havre. “The technical resources have been in place for several years, but they were previously spread around the site,” explains Frédéric Joubert, head of organic composites research at the R&T depart-ment. “The new lab project, launched 18 months ago, was aimed at bringing together all of our composite materials R&D resources – people and equipment – under one roof.” Armed with these newly focused capa-

bilities, the laboratory has already begun work on the next generation of nacelles. “We have the ability to develop a nacelle that is more than 60% composite materi-als by weight” confirms Pascal Marchant. “By 2015, structural components now made of metal will be replaced by com-posites.” Composites could even change the architecture of propulsion systems, as Marchant explains, “We are currently working with aero-engine manufactur-

ers to investigate a better distribution of mechanical loads over the engine/nacelle structure.” ■

P. FRANçOIS

composite materials are only half as dense as aluminum.

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uav. The Sperwer tactical UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) system, designed and developed by Sagem Défense Sécurité, has enjoyed considerable export success. With a large number of missions already under its belt, Sperwer is one of the few UAVs that is really operational.

Sperwer, the operational tactical UaV

C anadian troops operating in Kan-dahar, Afghanistan no longer deploy without their trusty Sper-wer (Dutch for “sparrow hawk”),

a UAV that surveys the surroundings to detect any suspect movements. This little unmanned aircraft, designed by Sagem Défense Sécurité, a Safran Group com-pany, is invaluable to troops operating in the field. The Sperwer UAV, also called a drone, can survey large zones day or night,

thanks to its electronic “eye”, designed to locate and track a point on the ground no matter how the aircraft itself moves. In Afghanistan, soldiers consider it their “guardian angel”. Sperwer is a tactical UAV, capable of flying missions up to 180 kilometers from its base and offering six hours endurance. Capabilities like these have spurred its success in export markets, as Jean-François Coutris, director of the Sagem Optronics and Defense division, notes with pride: “We’re the only company to have sold a UAV system to five different countries, namely the Netherlands, Swe-den, France, Greece and Canada. Even the United States and Israel, who are very active in this market, haven’t done any better abroad!” Sagem Défense Sécurité has produced over 100 drones to date for its customers.

Top-flight imaging systemsUAVs are very complex systems, demanding expertise in a variety of advanced technologies: navigation, communications, software, optron-

ics, cryptography, systems integration and mission planning. According to Sperwer’s users, its strong point is the quality of its imaging system, which provides a rich harvest of information. The imaging system is more than just a sensor such as a camera, radar, etc. All data has to be transmitted back to the ground, in total security, and processed in workstations. Once the threat has been identified, decisions are made and defensive systems triggered (artillery, land forces, air-to-ground weapons, etc.); the damage inflicted on the enemy then has to be assessed. In short, a modern UAV system has to be capable of sup-porting networked military operations in real time. Sagem Défense Sécurité is perfectly suited to these tasks, since it is a recognized specialist in optronics (the combination of optics and electronics) and especially gyrostabilized optronic pods (the “eyes” referred to above). Sperwer offers all the advantages of a real tactical system. It’s launched by a catapult and doesn’t need a runway: it lands by deploying a parachute and

airbags – which means it can be used anywhere, as close to the action as needed, and can be recovered very eas-ily, without danger, even if an incident should occur. The catapult launch also turns out to be an advantage for armed forces training, as division head Cou-tris explains, “Because of flight safety regulations in European airspace, any UAVs not fitted with a parachute have to be operated over non-inhabited zones – a restriction that doesn’t apply to our Sperwer!” For instance, one European manufacturer had to carry out flight tests in Lapland!

Beyond intelligenceUAVs were originally designed primarily for intelligence gathering, especially in sup-port of intense military engagements. But

their scope of use has expanded over the last fifteen years. “They are increasingly used as trailblazers to help ground troops,” notes Coutris. “In France, Sperwer UAVs were even used for security surveillance during the Franco-African summit meet-ing in early 2007, or during the ceremony commemorating the Battle of the Somme later that year. Today, they are also used by French forces in Kosovo.” While the Sperwer is one of the few UAVs operating today that is combat-proven, it continues to be upgraded to address evolving user expectations. There are two main trends in fact. First, armies want very small drones so they can employ them everywhere, even at the cost of losing some data quality. Secondly, air forces are seeking long-range drones to expand their scope of action.

Sagem Défense Sécurité is working to meet these two requirements. “We’re focus-ing on making the Sperwer even more compact and tactical, in other words, easier to transport and easier to operate,” says Coutris. A new version will also offer greater range. UAVs are a perfect fit with the new types of missions assigned to today’s armies: defend against asymmetrical threats, sup-port peacekeeping and reconstruction mis-sions. Many countries want to deploy their own drones, since they attract favorable media attention and are considered a clear symbol of national sovereignty and a mod-ern military presence. One thing is sure, however: drones, as an excellent means of mastering battlefield information, will continue their ineluctable rise! ■

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Sagem Défense Sécurité is a recognized specialist in optronics, especially gyrostabilized observation pods

these photos show the terrain, habitations and vehicles as seen from the Sperwer UaV. it is catapult launched (photo 1), so it doesn’t need a runway for takeoff. Sperwer can see both day and night (photo 7), and lands using a parachute and airbags.1 2 3 4 6 7 85

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markets

T he Airbus A350 XWB was one of the stars at the 10th Dubai air-show in November 2007, logging 80 firm orders during the show

to bring the total to over 300. Messier-Dowty, a Safran Group company, is in charge of main landing gear design, development, testing, production and support. The A350’s main gear features state-of-the-art technology to satisfy a very demanding set of specifications, as Chris Morgan, the program director at Messier-Dowty, explains: “The main innovation on this landing gear is the extensive use of titanium, a material that combines light weight with high strength and corrosion resistance.” These qualities translate into lower operating costs for the airline.

a long-standing partnership with airbusThe collaboration between Messier-Dowty and the European planemaker reaches back a long way. “We have worked on all Airbus airplanes,” notes

Morgan with pride. But the A350 marks the first time that Messier-Dowty joined the program so early in the process. Teams from the two companies started working together on the aircraft’s design in 2005, in particular to optimize the layout of the landing gear bay in the fuselage. “This is a much more efficient way of working,” explains John Roberts, vice president of

program engineering at Messier-Dowty’s Airbus and European Programs busi-ness unit. “All of the teams work on the same production platform. We can dis-cuss things, explain where we need more room for example, and work together to come up with solutions. The upshot is that we can reduce our costs and develop the lightest possible landing gear. At the

same time, we used the extensive feed-back from our customer support network to make sure this product matched the airlines’ real needs.” The main landing gear is of course per-fectly integrated in the aircraft, whether the four-wheel version for the A350-800 and -900 models, or the six-wheel version for the A350-1000 (takeoff weight of 300

ToTal PackageMessier-Bugatti (Safran Group) has also been selected by Airbus to supply all “ATA32” landing and braking control systems for all versions of the A350 XWB.

K Morewww.le-webmag.com

advanTages of The a350 XWB landing gear landing gear. Messier-Dowty teamed up with Airbus early in the A350 XWB program, enabling it to develop a highly innovative landing gear for this new-generation widebody twinjet.

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metric tons/660,000 lb). “Early integra-tion also allows us to carry out more tests to guarantee reliability,” adds Chris Morgan. This helps Messier-Dowty meet the objectives set by Airbus for the new A350 XWB, namely design an aircraft that is as economical, light and reliable as possible.

lighter, quieterThe new design of the A350 landing gear incorporates concrete solutions to protect the environment. For example, the tradi-tional use of chrome or cadmium coatings is eliminated, and replaced by other pro-cesses and materials, such as the naturally corrosion-resistant titanium. John Rob-erts emphasizes that “The landing gear’s design offers improved performance dur-ing approach, in particular lower noise to address one of today’s most pressing concerns. This is also a logical next step

as the jet engines themselves become quieter than ever.” As the designer of the main landing gear on the A350 XWB, Messier-Dowty has stepped up its relationship with Air-bus. Not only does the new-generation landing gear feature technical solutions that can be reused on new aircraft, it also helped develop more efficient joint work-ing methods with Airbus. With the delivery of the first landing gear slated for April 2011, the technical and methodological innovations devel-oped for the A350 are very promising. The potential market for this type of air-craft is projected at 7,000 through 2030. And production of the A350 XWB will stretch over at least the next 25 years, making this a very important program indeed for Messier-Dowty. ■

A. PAPeguAy

› Weight savings: based on materials such as titanium.

› Lower operating cost:based on reliability, corrosion resistance.

› environmental friendliness: elimination of polluting materials in production (cadmium and chromium), and reduced noise during approach.

› optimized integrated design: Messier-Dowty’s integrated product teams (IPT) work directly with counterparts at Airbus. Each IPT groups engineering, program management, production and customer support staff.

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viewpoint

philippe le pape,key accounts sales & marketing manager at sagem sécurité’s Biometric terminals & ssi sales & marketing department.

How much banking fraud is there on the Internet?It’s difficult to find accurate figures, given the unwillingness to address online fraud in many countries, born of a fear of spreading alarm among consumers. In addition, many victims are reluctant to come forward. A study in the United States, however, valued online fraud at $3.5 billion annually – equivalent to $38 per Internet user per year. The same study found that 3.5 million Americans have at some time fallen victim to “fake page” scams.

How can YpsID e help fight online fraud?It provides strong authentication between user and server – something that can admittedly be achieved by other solutions. The key feature of YpsID e is its portability, which enables it to meet the needs of both banks and users. And it’s competitively priced too. Young people are increasingly being targeted by banks seeking to boost their customer base. In this segment, home banking is no longer enough: young people want access to mobile banking via cybercafés or PDAs, bringing a whole new set of security challenges. YpsID e was designed with precisely these needs in mind, making it the next-generation solution that provides a perfect fit with current trends in e-commerce.

Question: what’s small, smart and attractive to bankers? answer: YpsiD e, a fraud-proof portable identity authentication solution

delivered in a USB flash drive, devel-oped by Sagem Sécurité (Safran Group) for use in online financial transactions. Unveiled in paris last november at the international trade show Cartes & iDentification 2007, YpsiD e will be on the market this spring. “with this pint-sized flash drive, entering a customer


markets

securItY. a portable security solution that provides a perfect fit with current trends in e-commerce could alleviate the concerns of the many consumers who are reluctant to do their shopping and banking online.

YpsID e: e-commerce securItY In Your pocket

number and a pin number to access an online banking site is a thing of the past. Users can simply plug the device into a computer USB port, enter a four-digit security code, and YpsiD e does the rest,” explains nicolas Goniak, program man-ager at Sagem Sécurité. First, YpsiD e checks that the bank’s website has not been hijacked by a “fake page”. it then generates a unique, one-time password for the transaction to eliminate the risk of interception by hackers. Beneath its

sleek exterior, YpsiD e offers state-of-the-art authentication capabilities, based on Sagem Sécurité’s expertise in cryptog-raphy and the smart card know-how of Sagem orga.

security: a shot in the arm for e-commercethese technologies are the driving force behind the latest development strategies for e-banking as well as e-commerce in general. “in the last few years, banks

have begun overhauling their business model to focus on high-added-value activities like loans, life assurance and financial products, while encouraging the use of online banking for day-to-day transactions such as payments. the only problem is that many customers are still reluctant to do their banking on the internet due to concerns about fraud, or a general lack of confidence,” adds nico-las Goniak. Given that establishing and maintaining consumer confidence is vital to the continued growth of e-com-merce and e-banking, a solution had to be developed to reassure consumers and unleash the power of the internet. this is where YpsiD e comes in. thanks to its flawless authentication capabilities, customers can relax in the knowledge that they are logging on to a genuine online banking website. the flash drive can be attached to a keychain or slipped into a wallet. even better, it can be used on any computer and does not require special software, guaranteeing security whether used at home, at the office, or in a cybercafé. this simplicity makes YpsiD e ideal for marketing to the banking sector and the general public alike.

Banks like it simplethe product’s unrivaled combination

of simplicity and powerful security capabilities give it the edge over much less practical solutions offered by com-petitors, notably dynamic code gen-erators – pocket calculator-sized devices designed to produce a code which then has to be input into a computer. YpsiD e is infinitely more practical. Banks were quick to welcome YpsiD e on its launch at the Cartes 2007 trade show, particu-larly since the product offers end-to-end security, giving customers confidence in online banking websites, and allowing banks to recognize users when they go online. Unlike competing solutions, YpsiD e can be mass-produced fast enough to meet the needs of the retail banking sector with its millions of cus-tomers, enabling Sagem Sécurité to tar-get this key market. while banks are the most immedi-ate market, YpsiD e could also provide an attractive solution for major online businesses aiming to boost confidence among customers. in particular, it can keep pace with emerging web trends like aggregators, which bring together all of an individual customer’s bank accounts within a single portal, and virtual malls. YpsiD e can deliver secure access to all of these new services. ■

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NAVIGATION. With the development of an inertial navigation system for the Airbus A400M military transport aircraft that also meets civil aviation requirements, Sagem Défense Sécurité has reached a turning point in its drive to join the small circle of companies active in this sector.

InertIal navIgatIon: meetIng mIlItary and cIvIl standards

The A400M, A new-generATion MiliTAry AirlifTer

In 2003, seven European countries launched the design of this new military cargo aircraft, built by Airbus Military as prime contractor. The A400M will have a range of 4,540 kilometers (2,450 nautical miles) carrying a 30 metric ton payload, or 6,575 kilometers (3,550 nautical miles) with a 20 metric ton payload. Cruising at 36,000ft and 460 mph (about 400 knots), its performance

will equal that of jet cargo aircraft. But its true strength is that it will retain the ability – essential in tactical military aircraft – to operate from rough fields and airstrips. The first flight is scheduled for 2008 and delivery of the first production units for 2009. Each aircraft will be fitted with three Sagem Défense Sécurité inertial guidance systems. Numerous other Safran Group companies are involved in this program.

K Morewww.safran-group.com / Aircraft Equipment

March 2008 _ sAfrAN magazine sAfrAN magazine _ March 2008

The gPS Air Data and inertial reference System for the A400M military airlifter will also be certified to civil aviation standards.

S agem Défense Sécurité (a Safran Group company) is embarking on a new stage of its history with GADIRS. The GPS Air Data and

Inertial Reference System, an ultra-high-performance inertial navigation system, will be fitted to the Airbus A400M mili-tary airlifter, but it will also conform to civil aviation standards. Fabrice Delhaye, sales director of the Navigation depart-ment, confirms that the objective for Sagem Défense Sécurité is to gain access to new markets: “GADIRS is just a first step. In the near future we are going to introduce hemispherical resonating gyros in civil aviation. This is a revolutionary technology that doubles the reliability of inertial units. It is also ‘ITAR Free’, meaning that it can be exported with-out needing special authorization from the US government. This system would immediately allow us to join what are still the only other suppliers of civil aircraft navigation equipment, Honeywell and

Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton).”

Unequaled flight safety This hybrid navigation system, combining inertial guidance with secure (anti-com-promise) military GPS, ensures that the aircraft flies along a virtual corridor 30 to 40 meters in radius, and will continue to do so in the event of an internal failure (electronic breakdown) or an external failure (GPS network). “It’s a system that guarantees an exceptional level of integ-rity,” explains Hervé Blanc, director of Navigation programs. The secret lies in the expertise of Sagem Défense Sécurité’s engineers, who have perfected integrity algorithms able to detect low-frequency or long-term drift. Because they are par-ticularly difficult to quantify and detect, these errors are often excluded from the analysis. Current detection algorithms focus essentially on clear faults, ignor-ing the more subtle errors that often pass unnoticed when they develop very gradu-

markets

ally. Faults like these can become danger-ous when their detection is delayed. With GADIRS, these risks are substantially reduced.

A wide range of missionsSuch is the integrity of the system that aircraft can undertake low-altitude flights with a high level of safety, even over steep terrain. Landing at the bottom of a deep valley is no longer a high-risk undertak-ing. GADIRS also makes instrument approaches safer, even at night and in dif-ficult weather conditions, or when landing on very basic, unprepared airstrips. The A400M will thus be capable of a wider range of missions, from military resupply to humanitarian rescue operations. “This

makes it possible to conduct operations anywhere, in almost any weather and at night,” emphasizes Fabrice Delhaye. Sagem Défense Sécurité, which already had the necessary experience and skills, took just a few months to bring together a multidisciplinary team of 150 experts to develop GADIRS. They were already well accustomed to military requirements, but had to go a step further to accommodate the demands of Development Assur-ance Level A (DALA), needed for civil certification. The team was able to suc-cessfully design this system, drawing on proven expertise in inertial systems and the methodologies needed for the devel-opment of critical systems. ■

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I think that one of the reasons for the CFM56’s success is that it is based on a very simple worksplit. First of all, the work is physically split in two and each partner is responsible for its own parts and modules. This applies across the board, from design and development to engineering and production. Then there are two assembly lines – one in France in Villaroche and one in the United States in Cincinnati (Evendale plant) – serving the two customers Airbus and Boeing. This relation has lasted for 33 years so far. Given its great success, it makes a lot of sense for us to continue team-ing up.

Beyond the present 50/50 coop-eration on the CFM56, do you have a project under way to address the needs of the next generation of single-aisle airliners?In fact, the future in terms of an actual engine may seem many years away, but we are already working together on the post-CFM56 generation. We expect both Boeing and Airbus to develop replace-ments for their 737 and A320 families, and we realize that for our joint venture to continue to be successful, we need to develop the technologies and products to meet their requirements. Given all the important performance characteristics that will distinguish

A C F M 5 6 - p o w e r e d airplane takes off somewhere in the world every three seconds – and every ten days, the CFM56

engine f leet logs an extra 1 million f light-hours! Building on their suc-cess, the two companies are already hard at work on the next generation. GE Aviation’s President and CEO Scott Donnelly kindly agreed to tell us more about this partnership, which has become a textbook case of cross-border collaboration.

Safran magazine: You’ve already had a fruitful partnership with Snecma on the CFM56 for more than 30 years. What is this part-nership all about?

Scott Donnelly: It reaches back to the early seventies when Snecma started as a subcontractor on the General Electric CF6-50. Snecma then became a risk and revenue sharing partner on the CF6-80C, and its subsequent variant, the CF6-80E. In the early 1970s, there emerged a need for an engine in the 10-ton thrust class. Snecma defended this idea, and in 1974 reached an agree-ment with GE to develop this type of engine.

“One of the reasons for the success of the CFM56 is the very simple worksplit.” Scott Donnelly

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bio 1984 Bachelor’s degree, University of colorado (Usa)

1989Manager, ge’s ocean systeMs division

1995 Manager, ge’s indUstrial control systeMs BUsiness

1997 vice president, general electric

Interview with Scott Donnelly, President and CEO, General Electric Aviation

March 2008 _ SaFran magazine SaFran magazine _ March 2008

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GE-SAFRAN, benchmarkMore than 30 years ago, General Electric of the United States and Snecma (Safran Group) of France teamed up to create what would become the benchmark in commercial airplane engines, the CFM56.

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March 2008 _ SaFran magazine SaFran magazine _ March 2008

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looking forwardMarc Ventre, Executive Vice President of Safran, in charge of the Aerospace Propulsion branch.

the next generation of engines from the current CFM56, we have already jointly undertaken to conquer this mar-ket and invest in the technologies that will ensure continued leadership for CFM International. We are aiming for a lighter, quieter, environmentally-friendly engine that offers longer life and much lower fuel consumption. Meeting those goals demands a significant invest-ment in research, technology, develop-ment and testing, now being conducted jointly by GE and Snecma through our Leap56 technology program. We are investigating two major possibilities, corresponding to two different engine architectures: the “traditional” turbofan design, which we believe can still be very significantly improved, with a targeted fuel burn improvement of at least 15%; and an open rotor type design, which could improve fuel consumption by a further 10% or 15%. We therefore hope to reduce fuel consumption by another 30% by the end of the next decade.

In view of current developments in geared-fan engines, what do you

think about this new technology? A geared fan is not a new idea. This type of engine has been discussed for a long time and there are sound rea-sons for us not to favor it. If you look at a turbofan and ask yourself why this technology has been so successful, it is because of its fundamental simplicity and the elimination of metal-to-metal contact. In comparison, what bothers us about geared fans is that you’re trad-ing away all that turbofan simplicity and then taking all that energy, some 20,000 to 30,000 horsepower, just to push it back through metal-to-metal gears. This is highly illogical from the standpoint of both reliability and dura-bility. What the customer cares about is get-ting better economics in both fuel burn and maintenance costs. For the coming decade we can do a turbofan that offers superior performance in both these areas. When you talk about a geared fan, there is risk, but no reward. With the investments we are making, we will be able to deliver the fuel burn without introducing the risk.

What about GE and Safran’s part-nership on large engines? GE and Safran have a long history of working together on larger engines. Snecma and Techspace Aero have a stake in the GE90 of almost 25%, and Safran also contributes to the GP7200. As for the GEnx, Snecma decided early on to remain focused on its current pro-grams and available resources, because we were already starting to talk about the next generation of smaller engines. However, Techspace Aero is participat-ing in this engine program. We are also still talking with Air-bus to determine whether there is an engine that GE could design for the A350, and our engineering teams are trying to determine the feasibility of doing that. If and when we did that, of course Snecma would be – as they have always been – one of our partners that we would talk to about participating in such an engine. ■

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With more than 17,000 engines in service, the CFM56 is undoubtedly the most successful engine in the history of commercial aviation. It powers airplanes carrying nearly 3 million passengers a day. Our long-standing partnership with General Electric continues to bear fruit, as shown by the latest figures: in 2007 we booked orders for 2,700 engines, setting a new record. But we can’t afford to rest on our laurels, which is why CFM International is now focusing its energy on the future. For the last five years, teams from CFM partners Snecma and General Electric have been working on the research

& technology program Leap56 (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion). The goal of this program is to identify and test the engine technologies needed for the next generation of single-aisle jetliners. It raises the bar very high indeed. In addition to reducing fuel consumption, noise and nitrogen oxide emissions, research teams are investigating ways of significantly cutting maintenance costs and increasing engine life.

Technology-environment tradeoffsA decision must be made between the two main options: an architecture based on disruptive

technologies, or one similar to current engines. The application of a truly disruptive technology would enable a significant reduction in fuel consumption, and therefore in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Safran is contributing its considerable expertise to this research, and has already developed technologies that differ radically from current approaches. For example, it has developed fan blades using 3D woven preforms, and nozzles based on ceramic matrix composites. Environmental concerns are a central part of all technological progress. As a manufacturer,

we have to find the best tradeoff between technological performance and environmental protection. Of course, this concern didn’t just spring up overnight, and we have already made tremendous strides in this area. Our current airplanes are significantly less fuel hungry and noisy than the previous generation. Just to take one example, a modern plane consumes less than 3 liters of jet fuel per passenger per 100 kilometers. But this is only one stage in the process. Safran fully agrees with the objectives defined by ACARE, and is one of the leaders in the Clean Sky program.

Marc Ventre and Scott Donnelly.

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