COMPANION Project – Technical Progress Overview
The COMPANION project is a Clean Aviation initiative coordinated by Airbus, that prepares a common flight test demonstrator platform to support future in-flight demonstrations of advanced propulsion systems. Its objective is to reduce technical risk and improve readiness for upcoming flight test campaigns.
COMPANION focuses on the preparation of a large aircraft platform capable of hosting different propulsion concepts under realistic operating conditions. The project supports Clean Aviation Phase 2 needs by establishing common solutions that can be reused across multiple future demonstrators; thereby, improving efficiency and consistency in flight test preparation.
Technical work performed so far
Significant progress has been achieved in defining and maturing the flight test demonstrator platform. A common aircraft concept based on an Airbus A380 has been developed to host a diversity of standard and special flight test instrumentation to provide all data required to quantify the performance of the demonstrator engines under operational conditions. Early and preliminary design activities have validated the feasibility of integrating different propulsion architectures within a shared aircraft framework.
In parallel, key steps have been taken toward flight test instrumentation readiness. Measurement concepts covering aircraft and engine behavior, acoustics, flow field characterization, and emissions have progressed in technological maturity up to TRL3 or TRL5. These activities ensure that future flight test campaigns will be supported by coherent and compatible instrumentation architectures.
The selected aircraft has been returned to service, and preparation activities toward its conversion into a generic flight test aircraft are underway. This approach introduces flexibility, allowing specific adaptations to be implemented later for individual demonstrator installations while maintaining a stable baseline.
The project has also initiated the flight clearance process by defining aircraft-level requirements and identifying key flight physics aspects.
Measurement and simulation developments
As part of COMPANION, a wide range of measurement and simulation techniques are being developed, including several related to the acoustic field. These activities aim to improve the understanding and characterization of noise generation and propagation mechanisms relevant to future propulsion systems.
In this context, Hugo Vincent (École Centrale de Lyon / Laboratoire de Mécanique des Fluides et d’Acoustique) and Maximilian Behn (German Aerospace Center – DLR) presented recent work at Forum Acusticum – Euronoise 2025, held in Málaga, Spain (23–26 June), a key European event in the field of acoustics.
Their contributions addressed advanced numerical and analytical methods supporting acoustic measurements and modelling, directly aligned with COMPANION’s flight test preparation objectives. Topics included: numerical assessment of azimuthal mode detection techniques, the influence of resonance loading on sound generation in ducts, and stochastic approaches for estimating sound power of tonal components.
Outlook
Through coordinated aircraft preparation, instrumentation development, and analytical work, COMPANION continues to build the technical foundations needed for future propulsion flight tests. The project is progressing toward next detailed design activities that will support the future delivery of a flight-test-ready platform for Clean Aviation Phase 2 demonstrator campaigns.
Stay informed and engaged with the latest developments in the COMPANION project by following our social media updates on LinkedIn and the COMPANION website.
The project is supported by the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking and its members.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor Clean Aviation JU can be held responsible for them.