Safran Aircraft Engines leads the EU-funded TAKE OFF project, launched under the Clean Aviation programme, to demonstrate a full-scale open-fan engine flight on an Airbus A380 by December 2029. The initiative, with €100 million in EU funding toward a €139 million budget, coordinates 25 partners including Airbus, Avio Aero, and GKN Aerospace. Building on the OFELIA project, TAKE OFF targets technology readiness level 6 through engine design, assembly, aircraft integration, flight clearance, and post-flight analysis, while aligning with airworthiness authorities for certification pathways.
Open-fan architecture, pursued by Safran-GE joint venture CFM International via the 2021 RISE programme, removes the traditional engine nacelle for larger fan diameters, reduced drag, lower noise, and over 20% fuel efficiency gains compared to current engines. This supports next-generation narrowbody aircraft entering service mid-next decade. Safran and ONERA conducted over 200 hours of wind tunnel tests on the open-fan front module in early 2024, advancing toward 2027 ground trials.
Flight testing integrates with Airbus’s COMPANION project, modifying a former Malaysia Airlines A380 (MSN114) starting in 2027. Separately, CFM partners with Airbus and Singapore’s CAAS for world’s first open-fan ground operations at Changi or Seletar Airport, assessing infrastructure, safety, and procedures. Pierre Cottenceau, Safran vice president of engineering, research and technology, states the project showcases open-fan benefits in energy efficiency and acoustics.