Safran Aircraft Engines is entering a decisive phase in developing its large open-fan engine aimed at next-generation narrow-body aircraft. The French company is expanding its system-level testing and plans to begin full-scale ground trials of the engine’s massive front module-including a fan nearly 4 meters in diameter-as early as next year. The fully assembled engine is expected to take flight by 2029.
This project is part of the RISE program, a joint initiative between Safran and GE Aerospace under the CFM International partnership. The open-fan engine design promises significantly improved fuel efficiency compared to current narrow-body turbofan propulsion systems by reducing fuel burn and emissions.
Safran has already completed around 400 hours of wind tunnel aerodynamics testing and over 200 mechanical load tests on composite fan blades. In Austria, separate ice-ingestion experiments simulate extreme weather conditions to assess blade durability, while in Belgium, prototypes of various compressor stages undergo validation. The low-pressure gearbox, co-developed with GE Avio in Italy, has successfully passed efficiency benchmarks.
Next, Safran is constructing a test rig measuring 8 meters in diameter at its Villaroche site near Paris. This facility will host a three-month series of ground tests starting in spring 2026 that replicate real-world operating environments. Key scenarios tested will include bird strikes and partial blade failures-critical safety checks before the engine is mounted on a flying testbed, an Airbus A380 flying laboratory.
By 2029, Safran’s open-fan engine aims to transform propulsion in the single-aisle aircraft segment, potentially challenging traditional turbofan designs by offering a cleaner, more fuel-efficient alternative. With competitors like Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce also developing similar architectures, Safran’s success in this testing phase will be pivotal for the future of narrow-body jets.