Following the news that Boeing will showcase its advances in sustainable aviation at Farnborough Airshow 2022, Harry Boneham, Aerospace Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“Perhaps conscious of the growing international pressure for aircraft manufacturers to reduce the environmental impact of their products, Boeing has smartly made sustainability a key feature in its upcoming Farnborough showcase.
“Boeing’s sustainable aviation showcase will focus on fuel-efficient aircraft, sustainable aviation fuel, and a modelling tool which will aid in the formulation of emission-reduction strategies in the aerospace sector. Whilst this tool is a novel development set to be unveiled at Farnborough, it will likely build on other sustainability tools developed by the company such as the Emissions Reporter, which was first used by Air Astana in 2021.
“The company has also announced that the 737 MAX 10 will make its international debut at the show. The 737 MAX 10 is one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class. The incorporation of fuel-efficient aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels, and other green technologies into global commercial airline fleets are all tools which can help to bring down emissions in the near and medium term whilst other technologies such as hydrogen propulsion are brought to maturity.
“However, the 737 MAX 10 still faces hurdles before it can enter service, not least gaining Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification. The aircraft has reportedly been making progress with regulators, but the company and FAA have declined to offer a definite timeline.
“The issue is further complicated because if certification is not attained by December 27, 2022, a re-design may be necessary to comply with new legislation in the US regarding flight crew alerting systems. A re-design could then affect commonality across 737 MAX types, affecting training requirements for pilots, and so potentially decreasing the attractiveness of the aircraft in the eyes of operators.”
