Engine Supply Recovery Accelerates Aircraft Handovers and Pilot Demand in Q3 2025

Global – Engine manufacturers Safran and GE Aerospace, through their joint venture CFM International, have reported a significant increase in LEAP engine deliveries in Q3 2025. The ramp-up addresses previous bottlenecks and provides a critical boost to narrow-body aircraft programmes such as the Airbus A320neo family.

• CFM International delivered 511 LEAP engines in Q3 2025 — a 40% increase from 365 units in Q3 2024.

• Year-to-date deliveries across the LEAP-1A (Airbus A320neo), -1B (Boeing 737 MAX), and -1C (COMAC C919) variants now total 1,240 units, up from 1,029 in 2024.

• GE Aerospace attributed the delivery growth to improved material supply availability, which had constrained output since mid-2024.

• Safran had projected earlier this year that delivery constraints would ease by October — a timeline that has been met.

• As a result of the stronger performance, GE revised its full-year LEAP delivery outlook from 15–20% to more than 20% growth year-on-year.

• The recovery in LEAP deliveries is expected to help Airbus reduce its inventory of “gliders” (completed aircraft awaiting engines) and support its 2025 delivery goal of around 820 aircraft.

• Safran CEO Olivier Andriès confirmed ongoing discussions with Airbus regarding its production rate ramp-up for the A320neo family. While Airbus has publicly targeted a rate of 75 aircraft per month by 2027, Andriès stated this rate might not be achieved until 2028.

Source: Safran and GE Aerospace