Boeing has unveiled plans to expand its ecoDemonstrator
flight-test program.
The company
plans to assess 19 technologies on the
this year,
while also adding Explorer airplanes that will focus tests on
specific technologies.
The first ecoDemonstrator Explorer, a 787-10
Dreamliner (pictured below), will conduct flight tests in June from Seattle to
Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok to demonstrate how coordinating
navigation across global airspace jurisdictions can improve
operational efficiency, which can reduce an airplane’s fuel use
and emissions by up to 10%.
Utilizing today’s onboard
capabilities, Boeing and air navigation service providers (ANSPs)
in the U.S., Japan, Singapore and Thailand will collectively
sequence the airplane’s routes to achieve the optimal flight path
across multiple regions, factoring in conditions such as weather,
air traffic and airspace closures.
The airplane will fly on the
highest available blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at each
location.
“To support our industry’s goal for net zero
carbon emissions by 2050, Boeing is expanding our ecoDemonstrator
program with Explorer airplanes to test even more
sustainability-focused technologies,” said Stan Deal, president
and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We continue to invest in
innovation that reduces fuel use, emissions and noise on our
products and to partner with governments and industry to make
progress on sustainability during each phase of flight.”
In 2023, Boeing will also use its current flagship
ecoDemonstrator airplane, a 777-200ER, to test 19
technologies including:
– Sustainable wall panels in the cargo hold that
are made of 40% recycled carbon fiber and 60% resin made from a
bio-based feedstock;
– A fiber optic fuel quantity sensor compatible
with 100% SAF;
– An Electronic Flight Bag application featuring
Smart Airport Maps, a component of Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro, which
reduces operational costs and supports safe taxi operations with
the depiction of contextual airport data; and
– For all flight tests, the airplane will fly on
the highest available blend of SAF locally.
“The industry will need continued fleet renewal,
efficiency gains, renewable energy carriers such as sustainable
aviation fuel and advanced technology to meet the civil aviation
industry’s commitment to achieve net zero carbon emission by
2050,” said Boeing Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond.
“Our initial Explorer testing in partnership with aviation
stakeholders in four countries is a great example of how we can
work together to optimize operational efficiency and reduce
emissions.”
Since its initial flights in 2012, the Boeing
ecoDemonstrator program has accelerated innovation by taking new
technologies out of the lab and testing them in an operational
environment. Including the 2023 plan, the program will have tested
about 250 technologies to help decarbonize aviation, improve
operational efficiency and enhance safety and the passenger
experience. Approximately a third of tested technologies have
progressed onto Boeing’s products and services.
