The Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) added a new airplane to its ecoDemonstrator flying testbed program to target specific technologies on trans-Pacific flights.
The program, which is run out of Paine Field and uses the Everett-made 777 aircraft, will continue to test an array of technologies on its primary aircraft, a 777-200ER.
This year, those tests will include wall panels made of bio-resin and recycled carbon fiber and technologies to advance the use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). In total, Boeing aims to test 19 new designs.
“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 Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal said.
The first new aircraft it will add — a 787-10 dubbed the “ecoDemonstrator Explorer” — will head to Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok in June to test new route management methods that can determine which flight path would maximize emission reductions. The route planning tools will take into consideration weather and other airspace conditions, in partnership with officials in each location.
“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,” Boeing Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Raymond said in a news release.
Now in its 11th year, previous iterations of the ecoDemonstrator program have tested lighter or more environmentally friendly materials, water conservation systems, additive manufacturing and other technologies that would be cost-prohibitive to test individually. Flights have previously used blends of around 30% SAF with 70% regular jet fuel on its test flights and will use the “highest available blend” at each location it flies, Boeing said.
The fuels, which are made from agriculture, timber or municipal waste, recently won support from the Washington state legislature, including tax incentives for large-scale production and wholesale purchases.
The company recently purchased 5.6 million gallons of the popular biofuel to support its operations, a significant increase over prior years.
Boeing grew its workforce by 15,000 employees in 2022, including more than 4,400 workers in Seattle, where its Commercial Airplanes division is headquartered. It has said it aims to add another 10,000 engineers across its operations in 2023.