The TAKE OFF (Technology And Knowledge for European Open Fan Flight) project, funded under the European Union’s Clean Aviation programme, has launched with Safran Aircraft Engines as consortium leader. This initiative coordinates 25 partners, including Airbus, Avio Aero, GKN Aerospace, universities, and research centers, to achieve the first flight demonstration of an Open Fan engine architecture by the end of the decade.
Granted €100 million from the Clean Aviation public-private partnership out of a €139 million total budget, TAKE OFF builds on the OFELIA project’s results. Unveiled in 2021 within the CFM RISE programme, the Open Fan design targets 20% fuel efficiency gains for next-generation engines entering service in the mid-2030s. The project covers demonstrator assembly, aircraft integration, flight clearance, and post-flight analysis, raising the technology to readiness level 6 by December 2029.
Flight tests will occur on a modified Airbus A380 (MSN114, former Malaysia Airlines aircraft) through synergy with the Airbus-led COMPANION project, with modifications starting in 2027. Safran group companies receive €35.4 million in funding, Airbus units €34.2 million, and GE Aerospace European subsidiaries €14.5 million.
“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,” stated María Calvo, Head of Unit Project Management at Clean Aviation. Pierre Cottenceau, Safran Aircraft Engines Vice President of Engineering, Research & Technology, noted the project’s role in advancing energy efficiency and acoustic performance.
As part of Clean Aviation’s roadmap for ultra-efficient short/medium-range aircraft, TAKE OFF validates propulsion technology to guide designs and mitigate investment risks.