Boeing’s new airplanes such as the 787 provide significant efficiency gains — each generation reduces fuel use and emissions 15%-25%, says company managing director (Commercial Marketing–Middle East and Africa) Randy Heisey.
Fully deploying the latest generation airplanes is the most significant contribution to CO2 emissions reduction available over the next decade, Heisey said in an exclusive interview with Gulf Times.
On the twin-aisle next generation 787 Dreamliner, he said, “Yes, the airplane is achieving – and even exceeding – our objectives for fuel efficiency for our customers. With three models – the 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 – the 787 family’s unique combination of capability, efficiency and reliability is key for the airlines that operate it, particularly as the industry recovers from the deep Covid-19 impacts on travel.”
Boeing, he said, has invested more than $60bn over the last 10 years in key strategic areas to improve environmental efficiency.
This includes investing in innovative technologies such as the digital thread, carbon composite materials and advanced high bypass-ratio engine designs as well as other aerodynamic improvements such as natural laminar flow that reduce drag.
While fleet renewal is important to reducing emissions, Boeing is also focused on partnering across the industry on three additional pillars to decarbonise including operational efficiencies, renewable energy transition and advanced technologies.
“We continue to collaborate with our partners on how to fly more efficiently, which collectively can reduce emissions by about 10%. These include procedures such as continuous descent approaches, equipment upgrades such as GPS-based navigation for more direct routings,” Heisey said.
Renewable energy can include sustainable aviation fuels, green hydrogen or batteries. However, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) are the only drop-in replacement for conventional jet fuel that work with existing airplanes, yet have substantially lower lifecycle carbon emissions. Boeing recently announced its commitment to ensuring that its commercial airplanes will be capable and certified to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.
Heisey said Boeing supports the net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 industry commitment.
“We are actively engaged in backing a number of initiatives and partnerships to pursue a multi-faceted approach to decarbonising aviation.
Boeing also continues to invest in research and development related to advanced technologies. We are a joint venture partner in Wisk; a California company that is developing a self-flying, all-electric air taxi, which to date has made more than 1,500 flight tests.”
In addition, Boeing has been testing technologies related to hydrogen propulsion since 2008. Most recently, the Chicago-based aerospace giant completed a hydrogen flight test programme with an unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a proton exchange membrane (PEM) hydrogen fuel cell.

Source: Civil Aviation Authority – Qatar