Airbus wants to stick to its timetable for the launch of the plane of the future zero emission, set at 2035. To meet the deadlines, the world number one in aeronautics announced, on Tuesday February 22, the signing of a partnership with two engine manufacturers, the French company Safran and its American partner General Electric (GE). The objective of the trio is to test, from 2026, a hydrogen engine.
Initially, the trio will develop a demonstrator – a complete device which will combine a hydrogen engine as well as tanks to store this gas in the liquid state. During this test phase, Airbus will equip an A380 super-jumbo, the largest long-haul aircraft in operation, with a fifth engine reconditioned to run on hydrogen.
The additional reactor will be attached to the rear of the fuselage. The A380 will thus take off with its engines powered by kerosene, before, once it reaches its cruising altitude, to continue its flight on hydrogen. “This is the most significant step taken by Airbus to usher in the new era of hydrogen-powered aircraft since announcing our zero-emission aircraft concepts in September 2020.”said Sabine Klauke, technical director of Airbus.
Reduce consumption and CO emissions by 20%2
With this partnership, Airbus is shifting air transport into the post-kerosene era. Indeed, Safran and GE, 50-50 partners in the CFM International joint venture, are the two largest engine manufacturers in the sector. They alone supply all of Boeing’s 737 MAXs and the majority of medium-haul Airbus A320neo family aircraft, the world’s best-selling aircraft.
Above all, with this announcement, Airbus makes it known that biofuels will only be an intermediate step before the implementation of hydrogen planes. Alternative fuels are already certified for use on today’s fleet of commercial aircraft. Problem, they are produced in too small quantities and, above all, they cost six to seven times more expensive than kerosene.
In mid-2021, Safran and GE presented a project for a future engine, called “Rise”, with the aim of reducing fuel consumption and CO emissions by 20%.2. By partnering with Airbus, French and American engine manufacturers are moving up a gear. “Hydrogen combustion is one of the core technologies we are developing and testing as part of Project Rise”reported Gaël Meheust, CEO of CFM international.
A response to critics of air transport
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