Airbus takes measured steps towards its next single-aisle jet

Airbus doesn't want to rush things. That's essentially what its CEO, Guillaume Faury, said on Tuesday when talking about the European aircraft manufacturer's future single-aisle aircraft: an "evolutionary rather than revolutionary" aircraft, in his words. In other words, there will be no technological "grand soir", but concrete, perhaps spectacular, advances on the margins.

The announcement was made at the opening of an event dedicated to innovation, organized by the group a month after postponing its hydrogen-powered regional jet project. It was no doubt a way of refocusing on more immediately credible avenues.

Faury was nevertheless ambitious: "There will be a significant breakthrough with the next generation of aircraft, and we are exploring technologies that can really make a difference." These include the famous open-rotor engine developed by CFM, a Franco-American joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran, as part of the RISE program. This retro-futuristic propeller-like engine promises to reduce fuel consumption by 20% by 2035.

"Maybe it won't be revolutionary, but an open rotor, in my opinion, is already a small revolution", slipped in Faury, pragmatic but visibly seduced by this technology.

It has to be said that the industry's major players, Airbus and Boeing alike, are proceeding cautiously. No new single-aisle program is expected to be launched for several years. The focus is on engine efficiency gains, which only occur once every decade and a half. The aim is not to miss the boat.

CFM, which currently dominates the world market in terms of volume, is still battling it out with Pratt & Whitney(RTX Corporation) in the medium-haul segment, while Rolls-Royce, which has been keeping a low profile for some time, is eyeing a return to the fray.

As for the hydrogen-powered aircraft project, initially scheduled for 2035, it is now on stand-by. Faury assumes the postponement: Airbus doesn't want a "hydrogen Concorde", a nod to the illustrious but costly Franco-British supersonic. "We must avoid a showcase effect at the expense of economic realism", he seems to be saying between the lines.

No new official deadline has been given, but according to Force Ouvrière, the teams have been informed of a technological delay of five to ten years. In other words, the horizon of 2035 seems very vague.

Nevertheless, the goal of a carbon-neutral aviation sector by 2050 has not been abandoned. According to Faury, it remains "achievable, although still fragile", mainly because of the slow progress being made on alternative fuels. "I don't think we're wrong to aim for zero net emissions by 2050... Maybe it will take a little longer, but we mustn't give up on ambition," he concluded.