EcoDemonstrator


The ecoDemonstrator Program is a flight test research program of aircraft company Boeing, which has used a series of specially modified aircraft to develop and test aviation technologies designed to improve fuel economy and reduce the noise and ecological footprint of airliners.
From 2012 through 2018, the five airplanes involved have tested 112 technologies: half remain in further development and a third are being implemented like iPad apps for pilot real-time information to reduce fuel use and emissions; custom approach paths to reduce community noise; and 777X cameras for ground navigation.

History

The ecoDemonstrator Program followed Boeing's Quiet Technology Demonstrator program, which operated between 2001 and 2005 to develop a quieter engine using chevrons on the rear of the nacelle and exhaust nozzles. These chevrons were later adopted on the 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
The ecoDemonstrator Program was formally launched in 2011, in partnership with American Airlines and the FAA., the ecoDemonstrator program has used three aircraft as testbeds. The first, a 737-800 owned by American Airlines, was used in 2012 to test over 15 technologies. The second aircraft, a company-owned 787-8 Dreamliner, was used to test over 25 technologies. In 2015, a 757 was used to test over 15 technologies, in cooperation with NASA and the TUI Group.

2012: Boeing 737

Using a Next Generation 737-800, Boeing demonstrated laminar flow technology for winglets, improving fuel efficiency by 1.8 percent. The aircraft tested other technologies, including:
Boeing began testing in mid-2014 using a company-owned 787-8 Dreamliner, in partnership with the FAA's Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise program, NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project, and commercial partners including Japan Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, Rockwell Collins, General Electric, and Panasonic. Tested technologies included:
The third aircraft in the ecoDemonstrator Program, a 757-222 owned by Stifel's aircraft finance division, began flights in March 2015. The aircraft was painted in the livery of the TUI Group, which collaborated on the program. Tested technologies included:
Following the test campaign, the aircraft was demolished, and Boeing reported that 90% of its material was reused or recycled.

2016: Embraer E170

The fourth aircraft in the ecoDemonstrator Program, in partnership with Embraer, is an E170. Tested technologies include:
In early 2018, a compact thrust reverser for very-high-bypass ratio engines with large fans will test nacelle weight and drag reduction aboard a Boeing 777F.
It will also test a JAXA Doppler LIDAR detector for clear-air turbulence, an experimental precision approach synthetic instrument landing system generating ILS-like guidance from SBAS for older aircraft and the ACAS X for NextGen replacement for the TCAS using ADS-B.
The program was completed in 2018:
A Boeing 777-200 will be used as a flying test bed from fall 2019, for 50 projects with over a dozen partners:
In 2019, fly-by-wire control for auto-takeoff and auto-taxiing will be tested on a B787, along with a "smart cabin" with advanced environmental control and power features.
By 2021, autonomous operations and hybrid electric aircraft propulsion will be tested on a small regional airplane, to be developed with Boeing HorizonX ventures arm and JetBlue Airways-backed startup Zunum Aero, based in Kirkland, Washington. The initial 19-passenger design is optimized for a range, increasing to by 2030 as electric technology advances. For shorter ranges, batteries alone will suffice, to be swapped or fast charged at airports for fast turnarounds. Targeting 40-80% lower operating costs than current regional airliners and an early 2020s introduction, it would be the first of a 10-50-seat aircraft family.