CFM International's LEAP engine took to the skies for the first time on October 6 on a modified 747 flying testbed at GE Aviation Flight Test Operations in Victorville, Calif., launching the next phase of testing for the advanced engine program. The engine behaved well and completed multiple aeromechnical test points at various altitudes during the nearly three-hour first flight. Over the next several weeks, the engine will complete a comprehensive test schedule that will gauge engine operability, stall margin, performance, and acoustics. The LEAP-1A/-1C variants are on track for engine certification in 2015.
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