Boeing’s 787 “ecoDemonstrator” flew its first test mission out of Boeing Field in Seattle on Monday, marking the start of a new round of environmental trials expected to last until mid-December. Boeing said the latest tests involve more than 25 new technologies designed to improve efficiency and reduce noise.
Using 787 Dreamliner flight-test article ZA004, Boeing plans to evaluate software and connectivity technologies related to operational efficiency; remote sensors to reduce wiring; aerodynamic and flight control improvements for greater fuel efficiency, and “icephobic” wing coatings to reduce ice accumulation.
Plans call for ZA004 to test the NASA Airborne Spacing for Terminal Arrival Routes (ASTAR) to improve landing efficiency; new greenhouse gas sensors evaluated in collaboration with Japan Airlines and others; real-time turbulence reports generated in partnership with Delta Air Lines to mitigate moderate or greater turbulence events; instrument landing systems for new and older aircraft to optimize landings and reduce fuel use; on-board Wireless Sensor Network and Micro Electro Mechanical Systems microphones to reduce wiring and weight; and outer wing access doors made from recycled 787 carbon fiber to reduce material costs and factory waste. Supplier partners for ecoDemonstrator 787 technologies and flight tests also include Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, General Electric and Panasonic.
The 787 ecoDemonstrator completed flight tests in July for an acoustic ceramic matrix composite nozzle designed by Boeing to reduce weight and noise as part of the FAA Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) Program.
In 2011, the ecoDemonstrator Program tested 15 technologies with an American Airlines 737, including aspects of a new winglet expected to improve fuel efficiency by up to 1.8 percent on the new 737 Max. Plans for next year call for the ecoDemonstrator program to test more technologies on a 757 in collaboration with TUI Travel Group and NASA.