AIRSHOW-UPDATE 1-CFM engine orders drop, demand for spares flat

* Hopes for 600 engine orders this year

* Jan-May engine orders 303 vs 1,342 year-ago

* Confident on deliveries through early 2010

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By Tim Hepher

PARIS, June 13 (Reuters) - Engine maker CFM International saw orders drop by more than three-quarters in the first five months of the year and said demand for spare parts was flat year-on-year despite growing and ageing aircraft fleets.

The jet engine joint venture between General Electric (GE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Safran (SAF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) had 303 orders through May, down from 1,342 a year earlier, Chief Executive Eric Bachelet said.

"If we have 600 at end of year, I will be happy," he said on Saturday at a news briefing ahead of next week's Le Bourget Airshow. There were fewer than five cancellations through May.

Bachelet added he was confident on deliveries through early 2010 but had less vision thereafter.