Safran Aircraft Engines Leads €100 Million European Project to Prepare Open Fan Engine Flight Demonstration

Safran Aircraft Engines Leads €100 Million European Project to Prepare Open Fan Engine Flight Demonstration

(IN BRIEF) Safran Aircraft Engines has launched the TAKE OFF project under the European Union’s Clean Aviation programme to advance the development of the Open Fan engine architecture and prepare it for its first flight demonstration. The initiative brings together a consortium of 25 partners including Airbus, Avio Aero and GKN Aerospace along with several universities and research centers. Supported by €100 million in funding from the Clean Aviation public-private partnership, the project builds on the results of the OFELIA research programme and aims to further mature the technologies needed for next-generation propulsion systems. The Open Fan architecture, introduced in 2021 through the CFM RISE technology demonstration programme, is designed to deliver approximately 20 percent greater fuel efficiency for future aircraft expected to enter service in the mid-2030s. The project will include the assembly of a demonstrator engine, aircraft integration, flight certification preparations and post-flight analysis. The programme is expected to culminate in a flight demonstration using an Airbus A380 around 2029, conducted in coordination with the Airbus-led COMPANION project. The TAKE OFF initiative represents a major step in Europe’s efforts to develop more sustainable aviation technologies and validate advanced propulsion concepts for future aircraft.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 5-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Safran Aircraft Engines has launched the TAKE OFF (Technology And Knowledge for European Open Fan Flight) project, a major European initiative aimed at advancing the development of a next-generation Open Fan aircraft engine and preparing it for its first flight demonstration. The project is supported by the Clean Aviation research and innovation programme of the European Union and brings together a consortium of 25 partners from across Europe.

As the consortium leader, Safran Aircraft Engines will coordinate collaboration among leading aerospace companies, universities and research institutions. The project includes participation from major industrial partners such as Airbus, Avio Aero and GKN Aerospace, alongside academic and research organizations contributing to technological development across multiple disciplines.

The TAKE OFF initiative has secured €100 million in funding through the Clean Aviation public-private partnership, with the objective of enabling the first flight demonstration of the Open Fan engine architecture before the end of the decade. The programme builds on technological achievements from the earlier OFELIA (Open Fan for Environmental Low Impact of Aviation) project and aims to further mature the technologies needed to bring the Open Fan propulsion concept closer to operational readiness.

The Open Fan engine architecture was first presented in 2021 as part of the CFM RISE technology demonstration programme, which seeks to develop propulsion technologies capable of delivering significantly improved environmental performance. The concept is designed to achieve approximately 20 percent greater fuel efficiency compared with current engine technologies for the next generation of aircraft expected to enter service in the mid-2030s.

According to Pierre Cottenceau, Vice President of Engineering, Research and Technology at Safran Aircraft Engines, the TAKE OFF programme represents a shared commitment between the European aerospace sector and the European Union to accelerate the development of more sustainable aviation technologies. The collaboration among industry leaders and research organizations is expected to help pave the way for a full-scale Open Fan engine flight demonstration while highlighting the potential benefits of the architecture in terms of energy efficiency and reduced noise levels.

The scope of the project covers every phase required to bring the engine technology to flight testing. Activities include the assembly of the demonstrator engine, aircraft integration, certification preparation for flight testing and detailed post-flight analysis of performance results.

The project is scheduled to culminate in a flight demonstration using an Airbus A380, which will help validate the Open Fan propulsion system at a maturity level equivalent to a pre-development configuration. The work will be carried out in coordination with another Clean Aviation initiative, the COMPANION (Common Platform and Advanced Instrumentation Readiness for Ultra Efficient Propulsion) project led by Airbus, which focuses on developing the instrumentation and testing infrastructure needed for advanced propulsion technologies.

María Calvo, Head of Unit for Project Management at Clean Aviation, described the TAKE OFF programme as a flagship initiative within the organization’s research agenda, particularly in relation to propulsion systems for short- and medium-range aircraft. Building on the progress made through the OFELIA and COMPANION projects, the initiative aims to demonstrate the viability of the Open Fan concept at a higher level of technological maturity. The flight test campaign is expected to take place around 2029.

Within Clean Aviation’s broader roadmap for ultra-efficient short- and medium-range aircraft, the TAKE OFF project will play a key role in validating this advanced propulsion technology under real flight conditions. The results are expected to support future engine design decisions while reducing the risks associated with large-scale industrial investment in next-generation aircraft propulsion systems.

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with more than 110,000 employees and revenue of 31.3 billion euros in 2025, and holds, alone or in partnership, global or regional leadership positions in its core markets.

Safran is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange and is part of the CAC 40 and Euro Stoxx 50 indices.

Safran Aircraft Engines designs, produces and sells, alone or in partnership, commercial and military aircraft engines offering world-class performance, reliability and environmental compliance. Through CFM International*, Safran Aircraft Engines is the world’s leading supplier of engines for single-aisle mainline commercial jets.

* CFM International is a 50/50 joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines and GE Aerospace.

Press relations

Charlène Collard
Safran Aircraft Engines
+33 1 40 60 84 40
charlene.collard@safrangroup.com

SOURCE: Safran