The flight test program aims to achieve a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the most efficient engines currently in the industry.
Airbus and CFM International, a 50/50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, are collaborating to flight test CFM’s state-of-the-art open fan engine architecture. The Flight Test Demonstrator intends to develop and speed up the development of advanced propulsion technologies, as a part of CFM’s Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engine (RISE) exhibition program, on board an Airbus A380.
Ahead of the A380 test flights, CFM will perform engine ground tests, along with flight test validation at GE Aviation’s Flight Test Operations center in Victorville, CA, USA. The flight test campaign will be performed post-2025 on a date not yet announced by the company from the Airbus Flight Test facility in Toulouse, France.
Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer said, “New propulsion technologies will play an important role in achieving aviation’s net-zero objectives, along with new aircraft designs and sustainable energy sources. By evaluating, maturing and validating open fan engine architecture using a dedicated flight test demonstrator, we are collaboratively making yet another significant contribution to the advancement of technology bricks that will enable us to reach our industry-wide decarbonisation targets.”
This cooperation with CFM features the variety of Airbus’ innovation demonstrator portfolio and supplements the work being done to assess ideas and mature advances for Airbus’ zero-outflow desire. In February 2022, the two organizations reported a joint flight test program to approve hydrogen propulsion capacity.
Gaël Méheust, President and CEO of CFM International said, “The CFM RISE Program is all about pushing the technology envelope, redefining the art of the possible, and helping to achieve more sustainable long-term growth for our industry. CFM, its parent companies, and Airbus all share the same vision and commitment for the future; the open fan flight test demonstration program is an exciting next step toward achieving the industry’s net-zero goals.”
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Airbus and CFM, alongside parent companies GE and Safran, share the desire of satisfying the commitment they made in marking the Air Transport Action Group objective in October 2021 to accomplish flying industry net-zero fossil carbon emissions by 2050 by developing and testing the innovation important to make zero-emissions aircraft a reality within the ambitious timetable defined.
