It will test a radical engine design for the successor of the Airbus A320.

Foreks - Airbus, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer, is preparing to develop a successor to its best-selling A320 jet family while testing a radical engine featuring visible fan blades. The European aerospace and defense group announced that test flights of a demonstrator for the "open fan" engine will be conducted on a modified A380 superjumbo by the end of this decade.

These flights aim to determine the best way to power the new generation of single-aisle aircraft, which will replace the A320 models when they enter the market by the late 2030s. Airbus hopes that the new engine configuration will contribute to a projected 20 to 30 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to existing models. Bruno Fichefeux, head of Airbus's future programs, emphasized the importance of ensuring that new technologies reach "maturity" during the decarbonization summit held in Toulouse.