The Airbus A320 family program has always offered engine choices. We track these programs and note interesting trends with engine choices we thought we’d share.
Let’s start with a historical perspective using data from ch-Aviation.
How good are these data points as guides to what we might expect from the NEO programs? Â
It turns out that the market is more dynamic than might have been expected.
Our A320neo family tracker estimates 3,557 deliveries through yesterday. Here’s the breakdown by model.
A quick glimpse shows a big switch from A320 to A321.
We see these trends by splitting the data into the primary models, A320 and A321.
Whereas the A320neo continues the A320ceo trend, with the CFM engine being the most popular, the A321neo has switched to the Pratt & Whitney engine. This is very interesting, given the GTF’s teething problems.
Crucially, the market switch to the A321 was swift and is strengthening.
Here’s the engine selection for the A320neo family. It’s a closer race than it used to be with the A320ceo.
When we drill down into the A321neo, here’s what we have regarding engine selection.
Breaking down A321neo deliveries by variant, note the rising popularity of the LR. This adds nuance to the swing away from the A320 to the A321.
Finally, here, we list engine deliveries for the A321neo by quarter—the red dashed line shows 50%.
CFM got an excellent start on the program and dominated it for nearly the first two years. Then, Pratt & Whitney started to claw back market share. For several periods, the two engine OEMs switched domination. From 2Q22, Pratt & Whitney has stayed above 50%. However, given the GTF’s program hiccups, that dominance does not look unbeatable.
Competition for the A321neo program is intense because it is the most in-demand aircraft in commercial aviation. Absent the 737 MAX 10, CFM focuses on the A321neo like never before and appears to be clawing back market share. Customers acquiring the A321neo must see screaming engine deals.