(CNN) — US aircraft maker Boeing has just revealed its new 2022 ecoDemonstrator plane — a converted, 20-year-old 777-200ER that will be tasked with testing new technologies aimed at making air travel more sustainable and safer.
The ecoDemonstrator will reportedly go through a six-month series of tests both on the ground and in the sky, starting this summer.
Among the 30 or so technologies set for testing during the campaign include projects designed to reduce fuel use, emissions and noise, while incorporating more sustainable materials.
For instance, Boeing is collaborating with NASA to produce SMART vortex generators — small vertical vanes on the wing designed to improve aerodynamic efficiency during takeoff and landing.
Other projects include a system designed to conserve onboard greywater — water washed into the sink will be used to flush toilets, which also reduces the weight of the aircraft.
The plane will also be used to conduct tests on an “environmentally preferred” refrigerant, a new fire suppression agent to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a heads-up enhanced vision system for pilots to improve operational efficiency.
Meanwhile, Boeing will continue its comprehensive study on the impact of sustainable aviation fuel toward the reduction of emissions.
Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program kicked off a decade ago and takes technologies out of the lab to test them in an operational environment.
It has tested about 230 technologies in total “to help decarbonize aviation, improve operational efficiency and enhance safety and the passenger experience.”
The Boeing 2022 ecoDemonstrator will test 30 technologies to enhance safety and sustainability.
Boeing
The 2022 ecoDemonstrator plane, bearing the registration number N861BC, was first delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2002, then spent time flying with Air New Zealand and Suriname Airways over its 20-year lifespan.
It has been repainted with an Earth-themed livery, which Boeing says symbolizes a decade of testing to reduce fuel use, emissions and noise.
“Boeing is committed to support our customers and enable the commercial aviation industry to meet our shared commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, in a statement.
“The ecoDemonstrator program’s…
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