Figure 1. Airbus will begin testing of CFM’s RISE Open Fan engine in 2029 on the company’s A380 test airplane. Credit: CFM.
May 25, 2026, © Leeham News: This is the first article in a series that will use Airbus’ history and present technology work to deduce how Airbus will develop its next new airliner. The company’s current statement is that this new single-aisle aircraft, which will replace the A320/A321 series, will begin deliveries to airlines by the latter part of the next decade.
What will its key benefits be, and how will Airbus develop and market such an aircraft? To understand this, we will conduct a historical sweep to examine what is in Airbus’ DNA regarding aircraft development, and what has changed in internal and external factors since the last new aircraft development, the A350-900, beginning in 2006.