Boeing showed off the latest successor in its ecoDemonstrator program last week. The aircraft, which will eventually be delivered to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based Etihad Airways, is a newly-built 787-10 Dreamliner.
The company’s ecoDemonstrator program was started in 2012 using a 737 aircraft. Since then, five Boeing jets have been involved in the testing program experimenting with over 100 technologies.
Last year, Boeing used a 777-200 to test routing efficiencies and exterior cameras for passengers among other capabilities. Now, the ecoDemonstrator program has shifted to adapt to more modern issues.
As part of the 2020 testing program, Boeing is experimenting with an enhanced cabin filtration system and ultraviolet wand that can kill viruses such as COVID-19. If successful, these products could be rolled out to customers within months.
Boeing is partnering with NASA and Safran Landing Systems this year to better understand aircraft noise, equipping the 787-10 jet with over 1,200 microphones.
The flight test program kicked off Monday when the aircraft was ferried from Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash. to Glasgow, Mont. Glasgow is a quiet location to measure jet noise, according to Boeing, with few operational restrictions.
“It is a very remote place. There won’t be any other airplanes or traffic noise. For noise testing specifically, it is really great,” Kerry Smith, the department chief pilot for Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program, told AirlineGeeks during a press event.
Boeing expects the flight test campaign to last for a few weeks before the aircraft is delivered to Etihad.
All photos by AirlineGeeks’ Katie Bailey
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