RISE by CFM International: status and timeline

Milestones

Next · PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator ground testing

RISE program announced2021Complete.
500 test campaigns completedJun 2026Complete.
Open Fan and compact core module design reviews passedJul 2026Complete.
PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator ground testingTarget Jul 2026Current milestone.
A380 open fan flight testTarget 2029Not yet reached.
Full RISE engine availabilityTarget 2035Not yet reached.

Most important, last 3 months

PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator ground testing begins at Safran18 Jul 2026
CFM RISE opens core and fan modules complete design reviews; 500 test campaigns done18 Jul 2026

Upcoming

Jul 2026PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator ground testing (next)
2029A380 open fan flight test
2030Airbus NGSA (Next Generation Single Aisle) aircraft selection decision
2035Full RISE engine availability

Current obstacles

Certifying open-fan noise and vibrationOpen fans expose blades to direct airstream, creating higher noise and vibration than ducted fans. New certification standards are needed.
Scaling hybrid-electric integrationIntegrating large electric machines, power electronics, and energy management into a certified, reliable engine at production scale is complex.

Physics limits

Engine casing removal trades structural integrity for efficiencyRemoving the casing reduces weight and drag, but the blades face higher mechanical stress and acoustic energy, requiring stronger materials and better designs.
Hybrid-electric adds weight and complexityElectric machines, power converters, and control systems add weight and electrical complexity, offsetting some fuel-burn gains unless batteries become much lighter.

How it works

4 parts

Fan

Open-fan design

The fan blades are exposed directly to the airstream without a surrounding casing, allowing larger, more efficient fans that reduce drag.

Core

Compact, high-pressure core

A smaller, hotter core burns fuel more efficiently by operating at higher pressures and temperatures.

Hybrid Power

Electric shaft power

Motors assist compressors at takeoff, extract power at cruise, and manage aircraft power exchange.

Fuels

SAF and hydrogen ready

Designed from the start for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and hydrogen, enabling zero-carbon aviation.

Spec sheet

Spec	RISE
Fuel burn reduction target	20%+^R (reported)
Test campaigns completed	~500^R (reported)
Engine endurance cycles completed	3,000+^R (reported)
Turbine operation hours	1,000+^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Papers & demos

2 items

Jul 2026demo
PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator testing begins (opens safran-group.com)Safran launched full-scale ground testing of the PHILEAS demonstrator with electric machines on both high-pressure and low-pressure shafts.
2021demo
RISE program announced (opens cfmaeroengines.com)CFM unveiled a program for 20%+ fuel burn reduction and SAF/hydrogen compatibility.

Update log

2 updates

Sat 18 Jul

Major: PHILEAS hybrid-electric demonstrator ground testing begins at SafranPressTest
Major: CFM RISE opens core and fan modules complete design reviews; 500 test campaigns donePressTest

About CFM International

The team behind RISE

CFM International

RISE Open Fan, hybrid-electric, next-gen engines

CFM International is a 50-50 joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, the world's leading commercial aircraft engine supplier. CFM is developing RISE to create next-generation engines with open-fan and hybrid-electric designs targeting 20%+ fuel burn reduction.

CFM is jointly owned by GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines with roughly $1B+ annual revenue.
The RISE program has completed approximately 500 test campaigns across five years, with designs targeting the A320 successor due in 2030s.
Ground and flight tests of the open-fan architecture are planned this decade, with Airbus testing on an A380 in 2029.

cfmaeroengines.com (opens cfmaeroengines.com)Company profile →

Founded: 197452 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Private
Valuation: private
Works in: AviationNext-gen airliners
Coverage: 1 program · 2 updateslatest 18 Jul 2026checked 11 Oct
Customers: Airbus (opens airbus.com)Boeing (opens boeing.com)

Spec

RISE

Fuel burn reduction target

20%+^R (reported)

Test campaigns completed

~500^R (reported)

Engine endurance cycles completed

3,000+^R (reported)

Turbine operation hours

1,000+^R (reported)