This article is based on an official press release from Safran Aircraft Engines.

Safran Launches “TAKE OFF” Project to Flight Test Open Fan Engine by 2029

Safran Aircraft Engines has officially launched “TAKE OFF” (Technology And Knowledge for European Open Fan Flight), a major European research initiative designed to validate the viability of the Open Fan engine architecture. According to an official press release issued on March 5, 2026, the project aims to mature the technology required for a flight demonstration aboard an Airbus A380 by the end of the decade.

The initiative is funded by the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, which has allocated €100 million to the effort. The total project cost is estimated at €139 million. Safran will lead a consortium of 25 partners, including major aerospace manufacturers and research institutes, to execute the program over the next four years.

This development marks a critical step in the broader CFM RISE (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines) program, which targets a 20% reduction in fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft expected to enter service in the mid-2030s.

Project Scope and Consortium Details

The “TAKE OFF” project focuses on the complete demonstration chain required to put an Open Fan engine into the air. This includes engine design, assembly, instrumentation, and integration onto the aircraft. The program officially began on March 5, 2026, and is scheduled to culminate in a Test-Flights campaign in 2029 using an Airbus A380 flying testbed.

A Pan-European Effort

While Safran Aircraft Engines leads the project, the consortium represents a broad cross-section of the European aerospace industry. According to the press release, the 25 partners include industrial giants such as Airbus, Avio Aero, and GKN Aerospace, as well as research organizations like ONERA (France), DLR (Germany), and NLR (Netherlands).

Notably, while GE Aerospace is Safran’s partner in the CFM International joint venture, as a U.S. company it cannot directly receive EU funding. However, the research report indicates that GE’s European subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, and Poland are involved and have been allocated approximately €14.5 million of the project funding.

Funding Breakdown

The financial structure of the project relies heavily on public-private partnership. The European Union’s Clean Aviation initiative is providing €100 million of the total €139 million budget. This funding is intended to de-risk the development of radical propulsion technologies that are essential for the aviation industry to meet its net-zero carbon emissions goals by 2050.

Technological Goals: The Open Fan Architecture

The core objective of “TAKE OFF” is to prove the real-world viability of the Open Fan architecture. Unlike traditional turbofan engines, which enclose the fan blades in a heavy nacelle, the Open Fan design features exposed, counter-rotating blades. This allows for a significantly larger fan diameter, which increases the bypass ratio, the primary driver of propulsive efficiency.

Performance Targets

Safran and its partners aim to demonstrate that this architecture can deliver a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to current state-of-the-art engines, such as the LEAP. The system is also designed to be fully compatible with SAF. The flight tests in 2029 will be crucial for validating not only the efficiency gains but also the acoustic performance and aerodynamic integration of the engine.

“TAKE OFF embodies the European Union and aerospace industry’s shared ambition to make aviation more sustainable. Project synergies will pave the way for a full-scale Open Fan engine flight demonstration, showcasing the competitive benefits of such architecture in terms of energy efficiency and acoustic performances.”

, Pierre Cottenceau, VP Engineering, Research & Technology at Safran Aircraft Engines

Integration with Other Programs

The “TAKE OFF” project does not exist in isolation. It operates in tandem with other Clean Aviation initiatives, such as OFELIA (focused on component maturity) and COMPANION (focused on flight test vehicle integration led by Airbus). Together, these projects support the overarching CFM RISE program launched in 2021.

“TAKE OFF must now demonstrate the viability of the disruptive Open Fan engine concept at a higher maturity level, in line with the flight test campaign expected for 2029.”

, María Calvo, Head of Unit Project Management at Clean Aviation

AirPro News Analysis

We view the launch of “TAKE OFF” as a definitive signal that the European aerospace sector is committed to the Open Fan architecture as the likely successor to the turbofan for the next generation of narrowbody aircraft. By securing substantial EU funding and aligning 25 partners, Safran is effectively locking in the industrial base required to support the CFM RISE timeline.

The choice of the Airbus A380 as the testbed is pragmatic; its size allows for the carriage of heavy instrumentation and the mounting of the large-diameter Open Fan engine without the ground clearance constraints that would affect smaller aircraft. If the 2029 flight tests are successful, it will clear a major hurdle for entry-into-service in the mid-2030s, potentially giving CFM International a significant technological edge in the single-aisle market.

Sources

Sources: Safran Group Press Release, FlightGlobal, MarketScreener, Aviation Week