Page 7 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 Online Magazine

and synthetic fuels. They also called on the to use a modified 737-9 aircraft that belonged to the airline. The five
European Commission to implement the launch month long programme, included other partners such as Hanwha,
of industrial alliances critical to align the entire Inmarsat, Cobham and AvionX and was completed in December
ecosystem around this joint ambition, partic- 2021. The ecoDemonstrator programme was used to flight test
ularly the Renewable and Low-Carbon Fuels about 20 technologies including advanced technologies that would
Value Chain Industrial Alliance, the Alliance reduce aircraft emissions and noise. Boeing and Alaska evaluated a
for Zero Emission Aviation and the European new engine nacelle over the course of flight testing. The new engine
Raw Materials Alliance. The aviation industry nacelle reduces noise emissions, which is a priority for airframers
has already been working towards collectively such as Boeing. The 2021 ecoDemonstrator programme had the
reducing emissions by approximately 10 per- dual objective of trying to reduce noise emissions from current
cent, as compared to today. generation engines.

Boeing released its first ‘Sustainability Report’ Next-generation ultra-high bypass engines will have compact
in 2021, which highlighted its commitment to nacelles, which will be shorter and have larger diameter fans than
the future of sustainable aviation. The U.S. air- today’s models and the ecoDemonstrator programme will allow
framer has already committed to having all its generate data to guide the designs for next-generation models.
commercial jetliners certified to safely fly on Previous ecoDemonstrator programmes tested technologies such
100 percent SAF by 2030. Boeing has been as the Advanced Technology winglets, which are now in use on
conducting biofuel test flights since 2008 and current generation Boeing jetliners. The 777X widebody jetliner
made the world’s first commercial airplane flight will receive a new camera system to help pilots avoid obstacles on
using 100 percent SAF, in 2018. According to the ground which was previously tested on the ecoDemonstrator
Boeing , SAF offers the most immediate and programme.
largest potential to reduce carbon emissions
over the next 20-30 years across all aviation Airbus on the other hand, recently commenced flight tests on its
segments. C295 Flight Test Bed 2 (FTB2) which will test test a new semi-mor-
phing wing, affordable flight control system and a flat panel SATCOM
On the other hand battery-electric energy antenna integrated within the top of the aircraft’s fuselage. The
storage and green hydrogen will require new C295 FTB2 is an in-flight demonstrator of the European Clean
design studies, safe certification approaches, Sky 2 (CS2) and the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation
new technology developments, platform devel- programme. The test aircraft features modifications and use of
opments, and new systemwide ground and new materials and technologies will deliver noise, CO2 and NOx
network infrastructure to scale. Boeing has emissions reductions. The C295 FTB2 is fitted with a revolutionary
invested more than $60 billion in key strategic high-efficiency semi-morphing wing and is also fitted with new
areas, over the last decade including innova- dynamic winglets. The new flight control system leverages digital
tive technologies such as carbon composite control systems to optimise the aerodynamic shape of the wing
materials, advanced high-bypass ratio engine in flight. Airbus has also installed a new multifunctional flap on the
designs and other aerodynamic improvements, test aircraft, which includes flap tabs in the trailing edge controlled
which have been integrated across its product by electro-mechanical actuators.
life cycle in a model-based engineering envi-
ronment New Concepts
The FlyZero research project, which is funded by the UK Government
Boeing achieved net-zero carbon emissions at and led by the UK Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) unveiled
its factories and worksites last year, by expand-
ing conservation and renewable energy use.
Its environmental performance goals for 2030
include achieving net-zero carbon emissions at
work sites, while reducing energy consumption,
water use, solid waste and hazardous waste
by 12 percent, 23 percent and 44 percent and
34 percent respectively. Boeing has also been
working to recycle excess carbon-fiber material
left over from commercial airplane assembly
manufacturing process, which could potentially
divert up to 454,000 kg of waste from landfills
each year.

Flight Demonstrators
Boeing’s 2021 ecoDemonstrator Programme,
saw the airframer partner with Alaska Airlines

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