Boeing has joined a consortium of investors and strategic partners led by Clear Sky, an investment firm dedicated to aviation sustainability. The US airframer and Clear Sky are "joining forces to accelerate sustainability solutions for aviation", the companies say in a joint press release. As an initial project, the companies will help in testing and advancing Firefly Green Fuels' "cutting-edge technology" to increase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in the UK. Firefly is planning to transform sewage waste into SAF through hydrothermal liquefaction, which it says uses heat and high pressure to turn the waste into biocrude oil and biochar that can be used as a fertiliser. "SAF produced from this abundant, yet untapped feedstock reduces lifecycle CO2 emissions by more than 90% compared to traditional petroleum jet fuel, according to independent analysis," Firefly adds. The consortium will invest in the new technology, subject to final diligence. Boeing will provide training, direction and facilitation on testing that will "accelerate the qualification of this new route to SAF". Brian Moran, Boeing's chief sustainability officer, states: "SAF offers the greatest opportunity to decarbonise aviation, and the industry's collective challenge of bringing it to scale globally requires new sustainable pathways. "Clear Sky combines many years of investment expertise with knowledge on aviation's decarbonisation challenges. Firefly's technology holds transformative potential as the SAF feedstock, sewage waste, is accessible in all regions of the globe." In the UK a pending mandate to achieve 10% SAF in the jet fuel mix by 2030 will require 1.2 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, increasing to seven million tonnes by 2050, according to ICF's UK Net Zero Carbon Roadmap. "Boeing and Clear Sky's investment demonstrates progress on the roadmap given the available UK sewage waste can meet a significant proportion of the UK's SAF requirement," the companies state. James Hygate, Firefly's chief executive, states that with Clear Sky and Boeing's support, his company is "propelling toward our goal of commercial production in the UK by 2029, and rapid replication across the globe". In addition to supporting Firefly, Boeing and Clear Sky are "embarking on an international investment partnership focused on sustainability solutions that span aviation and adjacent industries such as chemicals and materials", the companies say. Areas of focus include SAF, alternative propulsion, carbon removal and advanced materials and recycling.

Boeing technology chief Todd Citron has outlined how the latest innovations are being harnessed by the airframer to increase in-service jets' efficiency, as well as to improve design and manufacturing. Speaking at the Farnborough air show on 22 July, Citron highlighted that for Boeing's T7A jet trainer the use of virtual 3D rather than 2D engineering programs have enabled engineers to identify design issues earlier and thereby achieve smoother programme progress. Boeing cut engineering time 80% while quality improved 75%, Citron says. He cites the X-66A truss-braced wing demonstrator that Boeing is jointly building with NASA and the autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft of the airframer's subsidiary Wisk as other examples where new technologies have been leveraged to enhance design processes. In its factories, Boeing has begun using the world's largest inkjet printer to automatically paint aircraft tail fins. Citron says the technology reduces the need for paint masking and cuts drying times between application of different colours, while eliminating the need for scaffolds and working at height. A key objective of automation, he stresses, is reducing strenuous manual tasks for staff and thus increasing productivity. Boeing has introduced a mobile collaborative robot, or cobot, for component sanding. Trajectory-based operation has meanwhile been developed to improve airlines' flight planning and reduce air traffic congestion around airports. Where flight planning is conventionally done using pre-take-off weather and aeronautical data from separate information providers along an aircraft's route, trajectory-based operation involves using real-time data from ground stations and other aircraft. Weather developments and the air traffic situation in the vicinity of a flight's destination are typically not accounted for in conventional flight planning, says Citron. Boeing has assessed trajectory-based operation for transpacific flights, bringing together aeronautical information from the USA, Japan, Thailand and Singapore. The technology promises 10% fuel savings and even greater efficiency in airport capacity terms, Citron notes.. AI is being used to automatically monitor ground operations around aircraft at airport stands and identify potential delays. Citron says the technology has led to 10% efficiency gains and can be similarly employed to improve factory operations. He sees many opportunities for its employment, he adds. Boeing is separately developing AI technology to automatically monitor aircraft and ground vehicle traffic at airports, to warn pilots of potential runway incursions. An objective is to advance AI use from providing mere guidance for human operators to making decisions. Key to that, Citron says, is building trust in what he terms "assured autonomy". Boeing is working on autonomous piloting systems as part of the programme.

Japanese airline group ANA has disclosed plans to add seven De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprops to its fleet.
The aircraft will be introduced gradually, starting next year, says ANA. It adds the Dash 8s will be modified to match those already in its fleet. Fleets data shows that subsidiary ANA Wings has 24 Dash 8s in service. De Havilland Canada will procure and recondition the additional aircraft, which will be certificated according to OEM specifications and delivered to ANA under warranty, adds the airline group. "Our decision to expand the Dash 8-400 fleet reflects our ongoing commitment of reliable and economical aircraft that will enhance our existing fleet," states ANA executive vice-president of procurement Hidekazu Yoshida. "De Havilland Canada's comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul support will help us maintain our high standards of safety and service while supporting long-term reliability."