Electric aviation has taken two steps forward but one step back, with Air New Zealand announcing it will introduce as many as 23 short-range electric aircraft from US-based BETA Technologies, and Europe’s EcoPulse hybrid-electric demonstrator aircraft performing its first multi-powered flight, both just days after Rolls-Royce announced plans to dispose of its electric aircraft propulsion division. After an 18-month assessment, Air New Zealand has chosen BETA’s electric-powered ALIA conventional take-off and landing aircraft (eCTOL) to operate from 2026, initially as a commercial demonstrator for short-range operations. The EcoPulse, developed jointly by Airbus, Safran and Daher, and powered by a primary gas turbine engine, then six electric propellers, operated for the first time in hybrid-electric mode during a 100-minute flight from Tarbes Airport in France. The announcements followed the decision of Rolls-Royce to exit electric propulsion as part of a group-wide restructure which includes increased focus on its jet engine business.

Air New Zealand has selected BETA’s ALIA conventional take-off and landing aircraft as part of its Mission Next Gen Aircraft programme following assessments of four new aircraft concepts, which also included the electric Eviation Alice, the hybrid-electric VoltAero Cassio and a hydrogen-powered Britten-Norman Islander from UK-based Cranfield Aerospace Solutions. The airline has placed an initial firm order for one BETA ALIA aircraft, with options for two more and rights for a further 20.

“This is a small but important step in a much larger journey for Air New Zealand,” said the airline’s CEO, Greg Foran. “We need to accelerate the pace of change in the technology, infrastructure, operations and regulation.

“While this aircraft will add to, not replace, our existing fleet, it is a catalyst for that change. By flying the ALIA, we hope to advance our knowledge and the transformation needed in the aviation system in Aotearoa [New Zealand] for us to fly larger, fleet-replacing, next-generation aircraft from 2030.”  At that time, the airline plans to phase out its fleet of 23 conventionally powered Q300 turboprops.

Although the BETA ALIA is designed to carry up to five passengers and one pilot, the airline initially plans to partner with New Zealand Post to provide cargo-only services on a test route to be announced early next year, following expressions of interest from airports across the country, where regional aviation provides critical links between small communities, many of which are not well-served by road access. 

The BETA ALIA eCTOL version has flown up to 480 kilometres in one test flight, well over Air New Zealand’s initial requirement to fly routes of up to 150 kilometres. In service, it would fly at altitudes of between 1,500 and 3,000 metres, and speeds of up to 270 kph, subject to regulatory approval by the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.

Kyle Clark, BETA’s CEO, said Air New Zealand was “hyper-focused on bringing technologies to scale as quickly as possible, both to meet its own ambitions to decarbonise and to change the broader aviation landscape. We are gratified by the airline’s confidence in our technology as a solution that will meet their operational needs and look forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand as we bring the ALIA to market for 2026.”

In France, the EcoPulse testbed aircraft, an adapted version of a Daher TBM airframe, performed the inaugural test flight with its six integrated electric thrusters, or e-Propellers, activated. It was powered by both a battery and a turbogenerator.

Three Safran propellers have been fitted to each wing, and aerodynamically tested since early this year, when two, then four, and finally all six were installed. Powered by the legacy turboprop engine in its nose, the aircraft has been progressively test flown to assess handling characteristics with the added inertia of wing propellers and pods. 

The electric generator is powered by a gas turbine, provided by Safran, and a high-energy density power pack provided by Airbus.

Central to the system is a Power Distribution and Rectifier Unit (PDRU), again from Safran, to protect the high voltage network and distribute the electrical power, while the Airbus-designed battery pack is rated at 800 Volts DC and can generate up to 350 kilowatts of energy. Airbus also developed the flight control computer which enables the aircraft to manoeuvre using its e-Propellers.

“This is a major milestone for our industry,” said Airbus CTO Sabine Klauke, “and we’re proud to have powered the EcoPulse demonstrator first flight with our new battery systems. High energy density batteries will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions from aviation, whether for light aircraft, advanced air mobility, or large hybrid-electric aircraft. Projects like EcoPulse are key to accelerating progress in electric and hybrid-electric flight, and a cornerstone of our aim to decarbonise the aerospace industry as a whole.”

Eric Dalbiès, Safran’s CTO and EVP Strategy, said the EcoPulse test “confirmed that this disruptive propulsion system works in flight, which paves the way for more sustainable aviation. The lessons learned from upcoming flight tests will feed into our technology roadmap and strengthen our position as leader in future all-electric and hybrid-electric propulsive systems.”

And Daher CTO Pascal Laguerre said the partnership was “working to converge practical and significant know-how on design, certification and operation to shape our path towards more sustainable aircraft for the future.”

While these programmes progress, Rolls-Royce, during its 2023 Capital Markets Day, has revealed plans to sell its electric aviation propulsion division as part of a company-wide restructure. The unit is involved in producing powertrains for next-generation aircraft including air taxis and short-range commuter craft.

It will intensify its focus on engines for widebody commercial jets and business aircraft, while also progressing its UltraFan engine programme, which will be central to its plans to re-enter the narrowbody aircraft market.

“In Rolls-Royce electrical we are looking at options to exit in the short run or alternatively, for the right value, reduce our position to minority with an intention to exit fully in the mid-term,” the company said. “We believe, given the world-class capability we have built in Advanced Air Mobility, that this will represent good value to a third party and will allow us to focus on our core electrical engineering activities in Power Systems, Defence and Civil Aerospace.” 

Image (Chris Tarpey): BETA’s ALIA eCTOL in Air New Zealand livery

Tony Harrington

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Finnish renewable fuels producer Neste is to supply sustainable aviation fuel to Wizz Air, which provides the low-cost carrier the opportunity to purchase 36,000 tonnes of SAF per year over a period of three years to use across its route network in Europe and the UK. The SAF volumes to be purchased are a key part of the airline’s environmental strategy to reduce carbon emissions intensity per passenger km by 25% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Boeing has also reached an agreement with Neste to purchase 5.6 million gallons (21.2m litres) of blended SAF supplied by Neste’s partners EPIC Fuels, Signature Aviation and Avfuel to power its US commercial operations through 2023. Still in the United States, a collaboration involving Neste, Bell, Safran Helicopter Engines, GKN Aerospace and Virent has resulted in the first-ever single-engine helicopter to fly using 100% SAF.

In 2022, Airbus aircraft operator Wizz Air achieved its lowest-ever annual carbon intensity, which amounted to 55.2 grams per passenger/km, and picked up a number of industry sustainability awards.

“We continue to invest in innovative technology and believe that SAF is a key part of the solution for decarbonising the aviation industry,” said Ian Malin, EVP and Group CFO at Wizz Air. “The partnership with Neste reaffirms our progress in reducing our carbon emissions intensity, which is already one of the lowest in the world.”

Responded Jonathan Wood, VP Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste: “We look forward to working with Wizz Air on the reduction of their carbon emissions, as we increase our annual SAF production to 1.5 million tonnes by the end of 2023.”

The purchase by Boeing more than doubles its SAF procurement from last year. The SAF will be blended with conventional jet fuel at a 30/70 ratio, with the volume of SAF supplied by Neste totalling around 1.7 million gallons. EPIC, Signature and Avfuel will supply the blended SAF for Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator programme and the company’s fuel storage in Washington state and South Carolina. Additionally, the three companies will supply blended SAF for generating emissions reduction benefits for Boeing to allocate for company operations including Dreamlifter and executive flights, and commercial airplane deliveries.

“As one of the top aircraft manufacturers in the world, Boeing is sending a clear message to the entire aviation industry through this purchase that SAF is a key solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flying,” said Michael Sargeant, VP Americas, Renewable Aviation at Neste.

The 100% SAF-powered flight of the Bell 505 in Texas had been preceded by rigorous testing by Safran Helicopter Engines, the manufacturer of the helicopter’s Arrius 2R engine, and GKN Aerospace, the fuel system component supplier. Neste collaborated with Virent, the supplier of the bio-based aromatic additive, to blend, test and deliver the SAF as a 100% drop-in fuel.

“Neste is working closely with forerunners in the aviation industry on verifying that aircraft can run safely on 100% SAF,” said Wood. “This successful collaboration demonstrates that we are one step closer to enabling the entire aviation industry to take full advantage of 100% SAF as the key means to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel.”

Michael Thacker, EVP Commercial Business for Bell, said the flight was “a monumental achievement” for the sustainability and decarbonisation of the rotorcraft aircraft. “Showcasing a single-engine aircraft’s flight capabilities with 100% SAF signals Bell’s commitment to alternative fuel usage and builds on its sustainability practices in its flight operations,” he added.

Photo (Bell): The first-ever 100% SAF single-engine helicopter flight

Christopher Surgenor

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Just 18 months after Airbus declared its ambition to bring a zero-emissions aircraft into service by 2035, a critical development in that timeline has taken place around the engine that could take this aircraft to the air, reports Mark Pilling. In a transatlantic press conference, Airbus announced the signing of a partnership agreement with CFM International, a 50/50 joint venture between the engine giants GE and Safran Aircraft Engines, to collaborate on a hydrogen engine demonstration programme that will take flight around the middle of this decade. The programme’s objective is to perform ground and flight tests on a direct combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, in preparation for entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035. The demonstration will use the very first Airbus A380 – MSN 1 – as a flying testbed equipped with liquid hydrogen tanks prepared at Airbus facilities in France and Germany. Airbus will also define the hydrogen propulsion system requirements, oversee flight testing and provide the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise phase, as well as measure condensation trails.

Under the ZEROe demonstrator programme, CFM will modify the combustor, fuel system and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen. The engine, which is assembled in the US, was selected because of its physical size, advanced turbo machinery and fuel flow capability. It will be mounted along the rear fuselage of the flying testbed on a stub support to allow engine emissions, including contrails, to be monitored separately from those of the engines powering the aircraft. CFM will undertake an extensive ground test programme ahead of the A380 flight test.

The A380 will be fitted with four hermetically-sealed liquid hydrogen fuel tanks in the rear of the fuselage delivered from the Airbus Zero Emissions Development Centres, which are working on metallic hydrogen tanks, said Sabine Klauke, Chief Technical Officer at Airbus. The fuel load will consist of 400kg of liquid hydrogen. A new cryogenic fuel distribution system, including a new pump, seals and pipes will be required for this engine with the liquid hydrogen converted into a gas before combustion. There will also be cockpit modifications to monitor and manage the propulsion system.

“This is the most significant step undertaken at Airbus to usher in a new era of hydrogen-powered flight since the unveiling of our ZEROe concepts back in September 2020,” said Klauke. “By leveraging the expertise of American and European engine manufacturers to make progress on hydrogen combustion technology, this international partnership sends a clear message that our industry is committed to making zero-emission flight a reality.”

“Hydrogen combustion capability is one of the foundational technologies we are developing and maturing as part of the CFM RISE Program,” said Gaël Méheust, CEO of CFM. “Bringing together the collective capabilities and experience of CFM, our parent companies and Airbus, we really do have the dream team in place to successfully demonstrate a hydrogen propulsion system. We are deeply committed to helping the industry achieve the industry’s net carbon emissions goal that we have collectively set for ourselves through the Air Transport Action Group declaration last October. To achieve this goal, the industry needs to take action now – and we are.”

GE and Safran launched the technology demonstration programme RISE – Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines – in June 2021. It is aimed at developing open rotor powerplants that can be powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel or liquid hydrogen for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft from 2035.

“Achieving sustainable aviation growth requires a holistic industry-wide approach. From the CFM perspective, we certainly support the broader use of sustainable aviation fuels – something the industry can do today to have a huge impact on its carbon footprint. Of course, this is in addition to building ever more fuel-efficient aircraft engines,” said Méheust.

“However, it is not the goal of our industry just to lower its carbon footprint, it is net zero carbon emissions and to achieve this we need to explore all the technology pathways at our disposal and hydrogen propulsion brings great promise. It is the true zero carbon emissions solution and at CFM it is one of the fundamental technologies we are developing and maturing as part of the RISE programme.”

Mohamed Ali, VP Engineering at GE Aviation, added: “CFM is now working with Airbus to make zero-emission aircraft a step closer to reality. Both GE and Safran, as parent companies of CFM, have experience with hydrogen fuel to power land-based gas turbines and rockets. This experience makes CFM the best-positioned engine maker to join the Airbus ZEROe programme.”

Explaining the challenges of hydrogen aircraft propulsion, he said: “For aircraft engine propulsion, to distribute the fuel from the storage tanks to the engine combustor, it will require the development of a new cryogenic fuel delivery system. Before the liquid hydrogen can enter the engine’s combustion chamber, we will need to convert it into gas to be burnt cleanly in the combustor. Unlike jet fuel, hydrogen is injected into the combustor as gas, so making its mixing with air actually easier. “

However, hydrogen burns at a much higher temperature than jet fuel, so CFM will need to build on its experience with advanced materials, coatings and cooling technology to develop combustor and turbine parts to withstand that temperature, and still achieve the same or better durability than what we have today, he said.  Burning at a higher temperature also makes hydrogen susceptible to other emissions like nitrogen oxides and burns ten times faster than jet fuel, so requiring new technologies. For the programme, the liquid hydrogen will need to be stored at around minus 250°C in the four cryogenic fuel tanks and the liquid hydrogen converted into gas via a new technology heat exchanger.

“Is hydrogen harder? Yes. Is it doable? Absolutely,” said a confident Ali.

During the flight test phase, data will be gathered on the condensation trails produced by the engine in different atmospheric conditions, said Michel Brioude, Chief Technology Officer at Safran Aircraft Engines. “Hydrogen combustion does not emit CO2 but it does produce three times the amount of water, so condensation trails can contribute to the greenhouse effect and we will need to measure that,” he said. “Today, we don’t know how long they exist in the atmosphere.”

Klauke told the press event that the demonstration timeline announced was fitting exactly with the 2035 entry-into-service plan outlined at the Airbus Sustainability Summit in September 2020. The plan to conduct flight tests by the end of 2026 will enable Airbus to make technology choices for the aircraft’s propulsion system in 2027, she said.

Airbus Americas Chairman Jeff Knittel described the signing of the strategic partnership between Airbus and CFM as an historic day for aviation, adding: “Hydrogen propulsion is a fundamental part of the long-term solution and we are committed to this new aviation future.”

The Airbus A380 ZEROe demonstrator showing the four liquid hydrogen tanks and the GE Passport turbofan engine mounted on the rear fuselage (top and bottom images: Airbus)

Airbus, CFM, GE and Safran executives unveil their hydrogen propulsion partnership (starts 7:45)

Mark Pilling

GreenAir Contributing Editor

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Additional reporting by Christopher Surgenor

Last week’s Singapore Airshow reflected a growing focus of the air transport sector on decarbonisation across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Impacted by the recent eruption of Covid’s Omicron variant and onerously imposed government restrictions, the show attracted just 13,000 registered visitors, less than half the 30,000 who attended in 2019, while the number of exhibitors fell by over a third. Although there was a handful of orders for narrowbody passenger aircraft and widebody freighters, many announcements focused on sustainability partnerships and initiatives by airlines, aerospace manufacturers and fuel companies. A significant number of the declarations made at the show underscored the commitment of host nation Singapore to become a sustainable aviation hub and an APAC decarbonisation leader through measures including sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen propulsion and the use of renewable energy on the ground, reports Tony Harrington.

To guide the strategy, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said it will produce a Singapore Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint by early 2023 and has established a 20-member International advisory panel of industry and technology leaders to develop and progress the plan. Their first meeting was held on the sidelines of the show.

“While the immediate focus of the Singapore air hub is to revive air travel, we cannot lose sight of the longer-term challenge of climate change,” said Singapore’s Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations, S. Iswaran. “This is a challenging endeavour, especially at a time when aviation companies are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic,” he said. “It will require strong public-private partnership and cross-sectoral collaboration to innovate and reinvent the aviation ecosystem.”

In the days before the air show, a 12-month pilot programme was announced by CAAS, Singapore Airlines (SIA), Exxon Mobil, waste-to-fuel producer Neste and state investment company Temasek to assess the supply, distribution and use of sustainable aviation fuels at Singapore’s Changi Airport.

During the event, SIA – together with aerospace companies Airbus, Rolls-Royce and Safran, plus the support of aerospace sustainability consultancy Roland Berger – signed the Global Sustainable Aviation Fuel Declaration, an initiative urging airlines, aerospace suppliers and fuel partners to support accelerated development, production and use of SAF. SIA was the first airline to sign, underscoring its commitment to decarbonisation, said Lee Wen Fen, the airline’s SVP Corporate Planning. “Beyond SAF, we also use multiple levers to achieve our goals, including achieving higher operational efficiency and investing in new-generation aircraft.” 

The declaration notes that to achieve a net zero target for global aviation by 2050, it is likely a production capacity in the order of 500 million tonnes of SAF would be required. “Recognising that aviation operates within a complex framework of international regulatory and safety requirements, a large-scale uptake of SAFs will require a collaborative effort from a broad range of organisations, with each playing a different role, from research, to production and logistics, to utilisation,” it says. “We will need to work progressively towards the expansion of SAF globally and regionally, with the intention of maintaining a level playing field.”

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology and Strategy Officer, Rolls-Royce, added: “It is important that we combine our efforts and focus into building the momentum required to drive this forward. We are all big advocates for the development of alternative propulsion solutions including hydrogen, hybrid-electric and electric, and we also recognise that SAFs are a key building block to set us on our path towards achieving our long-term decarbonisation goals.” Airbus Chief Technical Officer Sabine Klauke urged other key aviation stakeholders to also sign the declaration. “The challenge is to further increase and encourage the uptake of SAF globally, as well as incentives and long-term policies that encourage SAF use,” she said.

Oil company Shell announced at the show that it would become the first supplier of SAF to operators in Singapore, following the upgrading of its local facility to enable blending of sustainable product with conventional aviation fuel, sourced by Shell Aviation from Neste. The first batch will be blended in Europe, before the task is transferred to Singapore. “Alongside investing in our capabilities to produce SAF, we are also focused on developing the regional infrastructure needed to get the fuel to our customers at their key locations,” said Jan Toschka, Global President, Shell Aviation. To support its aim of globally producing some two million tonnes of SAF per year by 2025, and subject to a final investment decision, Shell has proposed a biofuels facility within its Energy and Chemicals Park in Singapore, with annual capacity to produce 550,000 tonnes of low carbon fuels including SAF.

At its Singapore facility, SIA Engineering Company (SIAEC) has just completed a trial of SAF in a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine, which is used to power Airbus A380 aircraft. Conducted with Singapore Aero Engine Services (SAESL), a joint venture of SIAEC and Rolls-Royce, the trial used a 38% blend of SAF, producing 32% lower carbon emissions than conventional fossil jet fuel. “As SIAEC grows its engine services business, we recognise the importance of mitigating potential impact to the environment,” said the company’s CEO, Ng Chin Hwee. “The successful trial using blended SAF at our engine test facility marks SIAEC’s capability and readiness to support the aviation industry towards the net zero carbon emissions goal.”

Dominic Horwood, Services Director of Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, said the SAF engine test was “an important milestone in accelerating the adoption of SAF in MRO services across the Asia-Pacific region, enabling our partners and customers in the transition to low carbon aviation.”

Neste and Japanese industrial partner Itochu Corporation announced plans to increase the availability of SAF in Japan by expanding a partnership they formed in 2020, through which Neste delivered its first SAF into Asia. Under the expanded agreement, Itochu will distribute Neste SAF in Japan, initially at the nation’s two largest international airports, Narita and Haneda in Tokyo. Neste is expanding its Singapore refinery, which it expects to increase SAF production from 100,000 tonnes to up to 1 million tonnes a year by the end of Q1 2023. 

Hydrogen propulsion also featured at the Singapore show. Beyond the SAF developments, CAAS, Changi Airport Group (CAG), Airbus and the energy engineering company Linde, announced a joint two-year study into developing an aviation hydrogen hub in Singapore. The partners will explore the transportation and storage of hydrogen, and its delivery to aircraft at existing and future airports. “While our immediate focus is on sustainable aviation fuel, we also need to explore longer-term alternatives such as hydrogen to better understand the potential and seize opportunities,” explained CAAS Director General Han Kok Juan.

In the lead up to the air show, Airbus partnered with Korean Air, Seoul’s Incheon international airport, and French industrial gases corporation Air Liquide to explore opportunities and infrastructure requirements for hydrogen powered regional flights in South Korea. “The Asia-Pacific region will play a key role as we work towards making climate-neutral aviation a reality,” said Sabine Klauke of Airbus. “By partnering with Changi Airport and with Incheon Airport, Airbus will leverage the operational and technical expertise of two of the world’s leading hubs. The studies we will carry out together reflect the need for a cross-sectoral approach, including manufacturers, airlines, regulators, airports, energy providers and academia. We need bold and coordinated action to achieve our goals.”   

For the first time in Asia, Boeing demonstrated its new 777X widebody jet, for which Singapore Airlines is an early customer. The airline announced at the show orders valued at $2.8 billion for 22 GE9X engines to power the 777X, which Boeing claims will deliver 10% lower fuel use and emissions than its competitors.

Embraer, Rolls Royce, and Norwegian regional operator Widerøe announced a 12-month partnership to study “a conceptual zero emission aircraft”, examining new propulsion technologies including all-electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine powerplants.

“Technological innovations can potentially enable clean and renewable energy to power a new era of regional aviation,” said Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The aim of our collaboration is to create new flight solutions that serve expanded market segments in a sustainable manner. I strongly believe this could lead to full sustainable connectivity, including very short haul intercity operations.”

Added Andreas Aks, CEO of Widerøe Zero, the air mobility incubator subsidiary of Widerøe: “Working with the world’s leading aerospace technology firms, our aim is to understand how a viable business can be built around zero emissions regional concepts, and to advise the manufacturers on operational requirements and customer expectations to design the best possible and sustainable air mobility service.”

Photo (Airbus): Static display at Singapore Airshow

Long-standing engine partners GE Aviation and Safran have launched a new technology demonstration programme called RISE – Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines – which is aimed at developing open rotor powerplants that can be powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel or liquid hydrogen for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft from 2035. The two companies have also signed an agreement to extend the CFM International 50/50 partnership, which manufactures the CFM range of LEAP and CFM56 engines, to the year 2050. The RISE programme has a target of developing technologies that will deliver more than 20% greater fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions compared with today’s engine generation, reports Mark Pilling. Open rotor engine technology is not new but the potential fuel savings on offer have been offset in the past by an increased noise penalty. However, the partners insist noise levels will be no higher than those from current LEAP engine technology.

“It is a programme to support the future launch of a new CFM engine to succeed LEAP,” said Olivier Andriès, Chief Executive of Safran. “We must act with a burning sense of urgency, and we must rise to the challenge of decarbonisation,” said John Slattery, Chief Executive of GE Aviation, speaking alongside Andriès in Paris on 14 October during the online launch of RISE.

GE and other engine manufacturers, including Safran and Rolls-Royce, have been developing this technology for decades. GE and NASA first began working on open rotor concepts in 1970s in response to an international oil crisis and testing continued in earnest during the 1980s. When the price of oil plummeted in the mid-1990s, the viability of open rotor propulsion came into question, despite the promise of improved fuel efficiency.

However, CFM believes open fan, or open rotor, engine architecture is the game changing technology that will provide the step change to unlock the ambitious emission reduction and efficiency targets the industry is targeting, said Delphine Dijoud, Executive Manager, CFM RISE Programme, at Safran Aircraft Engines.

The partners envisage an engine mounted over or under the wing or on either side of the aft fuselage of an aircraft, and the blades not contained within a nacelle, offers significant efficiency gains compared to today’s nacelle-based high bypass ratio fans.

“We have engaged with both Airbus and Boeing on our technology plan,” said GE’s Slattery. The OEMs recognise that open rotor aircraft configurations do offer the reduction levels in emissions and boost in fuel efficiency that will be required, said Andriès, who added: “We have a deep experience of the open fan.”

For travellers, increasingly their “true north” is an awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions, and a technology that achieves this will be a positive development, suggested Slattery.

On cabin and exterior noise, he said there would be no degradation relative to that experienced from CFM’s latest technology LEAP engine. “That’s our minimum commitment,” he promised.

According to GE Aviation’s Arjan Hegeman, General Manager for advanced technology operation, RISE will focus on three main technology pillars: advanced architecture (open rotor), advanced materials and hybrid electrification of the engine to reach the 20% target. RISE is being led by a joint GE/Safran engineering team that has laid out a technology roadmap including composite fan blades, heat resistant metal alloys, ceramic matrix composites, hybrid electric capability and additive manufacturing. RISE will use hybrid electric capability to optimise engine efficiency while enabling electrification of many aircraft systems.

The partners began collaborating on RISE in 2019 and by the end of this year there will be 1,000 engineers across the two companies working on it, reported Mohamed Ali, VP and General Manager Engineering at GE Aviation. A demonstrator engine is scheduled to begin testing at GE and Safran facilities around the middle of this decade and flight testing soon thereafter, he said.

The use of sustainable aviation fuel will be essential for RISE and it will be designed to run on 100% SAF and be compatible with liquid hydrogen, said Slattery. “Ninety percent of the engine will be the same whatever the fuel [SAF or hydrogen],” explained Andriès. He noted the recent announcement that Airbus, Safran, Dassault Aviation, ONERA and the French Ministry of Transport will launch an in-flight study at the end of 2021 to analyse the compatibility of unblended SAF with single-aisle aircraft and commercial aircraft engine and fuel systems, as well as with helicopter engines. Known as VOLCAN (VOL avec Carburants Alternatifs Nouveaux), this project is the first time that in-flight emissions will be measured using 100% SAF in a single-aisle aircraft.

Both Slattery and Andriès stressed RISE is a technology development programme and not an engine launch. That will come when an OEM launches a new aircraft, they said. Asked about competition from the other engine OEMs, Slattery believes the collective mission of the industry is ultimately to deliver sustainable aviation. “We encourage them to engage now, compete with us, bring their best engines. We welcome their competition – let’s go for it,” he said.

“Our industry is in the midst of the most challenging times we have ever faced,” said Andriès. “We have to act now to accelerate our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment. Since the early 1970s, breakthrough engine efficiency and reliability have been the hallmark of our historic partnership and our LEAP engine already reduces emissions by 15% compared to previous generation engines. Through the extension of our CFM partnership to 2050, we are today reaffirming our commitment to work together as technology leaders to help our industry meet the urgent climate challenges.”

Added Slattery: “Together, through the RISE technology demonstration programme, we are reinventing the future of flight, bringing an advanced suite of revolutionary technologies to market that will take the next generation of single-aisle aircraft to a new level of fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. We fully embrace the sustainability imperative. As we have always done in the past, we will deliver for the future.”

The original framework agreement creating CFM International as a 50/50 joint venture between the two aircraft engine manufacturers was signed in 1974. The partnership was renewed in 2008 for the launch of the LEAP engine programme. More than 35,000 CFM engines have been delivered to more than 600 operators around the globe, accumulating more than one billion flight hours.

Top image: CFM RISE – rendering of concept airframe configuration

Launch of RISE programme:

Mark Pilling

GreenAir Contributing Editor

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