Airbus agreed in July to help CFM International with an engine demonstration program that could lead to a Leap replacement to power future single-aisle aircraft. The airframer then announced in late November that it was embarking on a similar project with Pratt & Whitney to succeed the PW1000 geared turbo-fan family in the 2030s. The airframer's early involvement marks the beginning of new relationships being forged between airframers and engine-makers. New propulsion systems may require more integration with the aircraft, notably through a hybrid-electric architecture-the integration of gas turbines and electrical motors. Airbus and Boeing are years away from denning replacements for their A320neo and 737 MAX families, respectively, but engine-makers are already preparing the technologies they may use for them. An engine has a long development cycle, and when an airframer expresses a need, manufacturers prefer to pitch relatively mature solutions. That process entails the launch of engine research and technology programs, including demonstrators, well ahead of new aircraft programs.
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