Video: Safran's Bellanger On Historic RISE Certification

Bruno Bellanger, CEO at Safran Electrical & Power, reflected on a historic achievement in an interview with Aviation Week following his win at this year's Laureate Awards. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) granted its first-ever type certificate for an electric propulsion unit in February 2025, certifying Safran's ENGINeUS 100B1 125-kW electric motor.

The milestone, more than a decade in development, marks a significant step toward electrification of regional aircraft and advances in hybrid-electric propulsion systems. The certification paves the way for more powerful motors on future hybrid-electric regional aircraft and will support CFM International's Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) demonstration program, which aims to develop more efficient commercial engines.

"This recognition validates all the work done by the team over a journey that started more than 10 years ago," Bellanger said. "It has been such a fight with the team to carry out this project."

Bellanger described the certification ceremony with regulatory agencies as the most rewarding moment following an intensive certification campaign. The ENGINeUS 100B1 represents the first electric propulsion unit to receive EASA type certification, establishing a regulatory framework for future electric and hybrid-electric powerplants.

The technology is expected to enable new applications in the emerging electric aviation market, though Safran has not yet disclosed specific aircraft programs or entry-into-service timelines for the certified motor.