Boeing and United test next-generation IPS communications on ecoDemonstrator Explorer

Questions and Answers:

What was the purpose of the Boeing ecoDemonstrator flight tests? The tests evaluated Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) digital communications to improve information flow between flight crews, air traffic control, and airline operation centers while enhancing safety, efficiency, and cybersecurity.

Who participated in the testing program? The program included Boeing, United Airlines, Collins Aerospace, Honeywell, SITA, Thales, Viasat, European Space Agency, FAA, NASA’s Air Traffic Management eXploration Project, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

What are the anticipated benefits of IPS? IPS is expected to support trajectory-based operations, optimize air traffic flow, reduce fuel use and emissions, improve data transfer efficiency, and strengthen cybersecurity for air-to-ground communications.

SEATTLE - The Boeing Company in Arlington County, Va., and United Airlines in Chicago have completed flight tests of an Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) digital communication system intended to improve information flow between flight crews, air traffic control, and airline operations centers.

United operated a 737-8 aircraft as Boeing's 2025 ecoDemonstrator Explorer to evaluate IPS. This internet-based multilink communications standard aims to enhance operational efficiency and safety while reducing congestion, fuel use, cost, and emissions. The aircraft began about two weeks of flight testing in late October, with U.S. operations based in Houston, and European flights based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

IPS communications 

IPS is being developed as a next-generation alternative to legacy aviation data transfer protocols that are expected to reach bandwidth limits. The technology is designed to support safety-critical information exchange and includes compatibility with current communication standards and enhanced cybersecurity protections. Boeing will also share Airplane Operational Intent data with NASA to support development of predictive routing algorithms and future air navigation and trajectory planning.

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IPS is a key enabler for Trajectory Based Operations, which aim to optimize air traffic flows and reduce fuel use and emissions by up to 10%. Data collected during testing will be provided to standards committees developing the technical framework for future implementation.

The ecoDemonstrator Explorer program included contributions from Collins Aerospace in Charlotte, N.C.; Honeywell in Phoenix, Ariz.; SITA, based in Geneva; Thales in Paris; Viasat in Carlsbad, Calif.; the European Space Agency; the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Air Traffic Management eXploration Project; Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.; and other government, academic and industry partners.

Industry comments

"Data communications are essential to the safety and performance of tomorrow's aircraft," said Nate Boelkins, president of Avionics at Collins Aerospace. "Our work with the ecoDemonstrator Explorer program advances performance-based connectivity and interoperability, helping create more reliable, secure and agile operations across global airspace."

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"As aviation evolves, so too does the need for communication systems that can support emerging requirements, such as trajectory-based operations, which demand technologies beyond current standards," said Yann Cabaret, CEO, SITA for Aircraft. "By partnering with Boeing on their ecoDemonstrator IPS Testing program, we at SITA are actively testing these innovative solutions in real-world, multi-link environments, advancing our shared vision for safer, more efficient, and better-connected skies."

"This partnership marks a crucial milestone towards a unified global solution for Air Traffic Management," said Laurent Jaffart, European Space Agency director for Connectivity and Secure Communications. "Through this testing of interconnected digital communications, we are not only advancing operational efficiency but also moving towards safer and more efficient airspace...Ultimately, this will deliver significant economic benefits and help reduce emissions, supporting the aviation industry in achieving its sustainability goals."

"Viasat is excited to be partnering with Boeing on the ecoDemonstrator program to show how satcom datalink supports current and future Trajectory Based Operations," said Joel Klooster, senior vice president of Viasat Airline Operations and Safety. "Building off the European Space Agency's Iris Global program, now operational in Europe, this activity demonstrates the ability of Viasat's SB-S service to support the transition to ATN/IPS, the next generation of IP-based datalink critical to supporting increased air traffic volumes in a sustainable and efficient manner."