A West Chester Township engine manufacturer has struck a sweeping new agreement with one of the world's major airlines. CFM International signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish Airlines for more than 300 LEAP-1B engines, including spares, with a related services agreement that stretches to cover more than 600 engines across the carrier's fleet.
The memorandum, according to a press release from GE Aerospace, covers engines intended to power 100 firm and 50 option Boeing 737 MAX aircraft that Turkish Airlines plans to add to its fleet. CFM International is the 50/50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines that is headquartered in West Chester Township, according to Local 12. The LEAP-1B is the only engine option available for the 737 MAX, making CFM the sole supplier for that aircraft program.
Beyond the new jets, the agreement includes a long-term services arrangement that would cover Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary AJet's entire operating fleet of more than 600 LEAP-1B engines. At the time of the announcement, Turkish Airlines already operated 79 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft powered by LEAP-1B engines, including planes flown under the AJet brand, per the same GE Aerospace release.
A New Maintenance Hub Planned in Türkiye
The deal also includes a material services agreement that would support establishing an engine maintenance, repair and overhaul facility in Türkiye, the release states. Details on the facility's location, cost or timeline were not included in the announcement.
The agreement builds on a pattern for CFM in the region. Pegasus Airlines and CFM International previously announced an agreement for up to 300 LEAP-1B engines to power Pegasus's future Boeing 737-10 fleet, a deal that similarly included spare engines and a long-term maintenance agreement, the station's report notes.
Part of a Booming Production Year
The Turkish Airlines agreement lands as CFM ramps up output more broadly. Annual deliveries of the CFM International LEAP engine are forecast to top 2,000 units in 2026, according to FlightGlobal. The company has delivered more than 10,000 LEAP engines total, which have together logged more than 100 million flight hours, per GE Aerospace's release.
The companies have described the arrangement as a memorandum of understanding rather than a finalized purchase contract, and the evidence does not establish whether it has since converted into a binding agreement. No purchase price, delivery schedule or exact spare-engine count was disclosed in the announcement.
