LE BOURGET, France — 21 June May 2017 — Delta Air Lines signed an order with CFM International for the CFM56-5B engine to power 10 additional A321ceo aircraft announced June 20, 2017.

These A321s will join more than 200 CFM-powered A319/A320/A321 aircraft Delta currently operates. The airline is using the higher-capacity aircraft to gradually replace less-efficient domestic aircraft that will be retired from its fleet.

“This is another fantastic vote of confidence for the entire CFM Team,” said Gaël Méheust, president and CEO of CFM. “Delta was our first customer and it is highly gratifying that, more than 35 years later, CFM is still the engine of choice for their single-aisle operations.”

Delta actually launched the CFM56 product line into commercial service on April 24, 1982 when it flew the very first McDonnell Douglas DC-8-71 aircraft powered by CFM’s CFM56-2 engine on a flight between Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. The airline now has in service or on order more than 430 Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 family aircraft powered by industry-leading CFM56 engines.