GE Aerospace completes key Open Fan test in Europe

GE Aerospace announced today a new test milestone in Europe for the development of Open Fan engine architecture, one of the key technologies being advanced through the CFM RISE technology demonstration programme (Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) is a technology demonstration programme of CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. It is not a product offered for commercial sale.). Engineers recently completed the company's first testing campaign of a high-speed, low-pressure turbine (LPT) at the Polonia Aero laboratory in Zielonka, Poland. The LPT is a key component that helps drive the Open Fan, a new design of jet engines that removes the traditional casing, allowing for a larger fan size with less drag to improve fuel efficiency and durability.

"The Open Fan engine architecture is our vision for the future of flight, and our teams in Poland and across Europe play a key role in advancing this technology. We're developing next-generation solutions that will help shape aviation for decades to come," said Marcin Wasilewski, site leader for GE Aerospace's engineering center in Poland.

Over more than 1,000 hours of testing beginning in 2025, teams validated the LPT's aerodynamic design as well as its aerothermal performance. Data collected during the test will be used to further mature Open Fan engine architecture for flight tests this decade.

A custom test rig was built, enabling precise control of air flow, temperature and pressure to replicate a wide range of flight conditions.

CFM RISE programme

Unveiled in 2021, the CFM RISE programme is one of the aviation industry's most comprehensive technology demonstrators with approximately 500 test campaigns and more than 10,000 endurance and dust ingestion cycles completed to date, including tests on advanced engine architectures like Open Fan, compact core and hybrid electric systems. The RISE programme prioritises safety, durability and efficiency, targeting more than 20% better fuel burn compared to commercial engines in service today.

"The Poland team is excited to contribute to the RISE programme, and we expect to continue supporting testing in the years ahead. Our engineers bring deep expertise and a strong commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in aviation," said Radosław Serwiński, GE Aerospace Future of Flight leader in Poland.

The recently completed LPT test is a part of GE Aerospace's comprehensive testing and development plan in Europe to support the RISE programme. The teams in Poland are leveraging both in-country external funding and Clean Aviation's OFELIA, TAKE OFF, HYDEA, AMBER projects to advance innovative technologies for the future of flight.

GE Aerospace in Poland

Polonia Aero is a research laboratory operated by Avio Aero, a GE Aerospace company, specialising in experimental testing of low-pressure turbines aimed to optimise aerodynamic behaviour of the LPT's design used in aviation and commercial applications. The facility in Zielonka is a part of a broader GE Aerospace ecosystem in Poland with more than 2,300 employees across five locations for engineering, research and development, manufacturing and engine maintenance.