Industry Boeing presents 2023 plan for 787-10 ecoDemonstrator

In order to accelerate innovation for sustainability and safety in the flying aviation industry, Boeing has announced its plans to expand its ecoDemonstrator flight-test program for this year. The company stated that it will add “Explorer” aircraft to its Boeing 777 ecoDemonstrator, which will have 19 technologies on board for testing.

The first Explorer aircraft will be a Boeing 787-10 and will conduct flight tests starting in June from Seattle. Then, the aircraft will perform tests in three further countries. Boeing has agreed to collaborate with Japan, Singapore and Thailand. Therefore, the 787 will visit Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok in order to demonstrate how coordinating navigation across global airspace jurisdictions can improve operational efficiency.

Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes said: "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 […] 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."

Boeing Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond added: "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 […] 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."

With the flight tests to enhance environmental sustainability, Boeing seeks to achieve reductions in aircraft'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,” the manufacturer explained.

The current flagship ecoDemonstrator, a Boeing 777-200ER will tests technologies or innovations such as sustainable wall panels, a fiber optic fuel quantity sensor, or an electronic flight bag application over the course of this year. All flights are being operated on a Sustainable Air Fuel (SAF) blend.