Boeing 777x Inches Towards Certification With First New Plane Flight In Five Years

Zhi Xiong Lee/Getty Images

Boeing has gotten a caller 777X prototype successful nan air, nan 5th of its kind, arsenic nan craft yet starts gaining immoderate traction successful its long-delayed certification process. This is specifically a 777-9, nan longer of nan 2 variants astatine 251 feet. The different 4 prototypes were each first flown successful 2020, truthful this 1 has been 5 years successful coming. It's astir apt not a coincidence that, astatine nan aforesaid time, Boeing announced that Cathay Pacific ordered an further 14 of nan craft erstwhile it's fresh for delivery.

When will that transportation day be? Boeing is still hopeful that it will deed its target of 2026, though it should beryllium mentioned that nan original target was 2020. In July, nan 777X completed its Stage 2B certification (out of a full of 5 stages), per Simple Flying. That's bully news, successful that things are moving along. But that besides intends that it took Boeing 5 years to get done 1 and a half stages, pinch respective much to go, and it's trying to commencement trading nan level adjacent year. Good luck!

Falcons Spotters/Shutterstock

The 777-9 is nan biggest twinjet airliner successful nan world, a modernized update to nan aging 777. In summation to upgraded avionics and much rider capacity, it's rocking nan General Electric GE9X engine, nan largest ever fresh to commercialized aircraft. That's bully for 5% amended substance ratio and little wide noise. Larger, curved wings adhd different 5% substance efficiency. It's a beast, but not a quiet one.

But it has been a temperamental one. Issues pinch nan avionics, Flight Control System, and those large engines person each delayed certification clip and again. Then there's been those pesky "uncommanded transportation events," besides known arsenic "losing power of nan plane." The full prototype fleet was really grounded backmost successful August 2024, though nan FAA recertified them for testing successful January 2025.

Despite nan truth that airlines can't return possession of them, nan 777X has been trading beautiful well. Boeing has received 70 orders for them conscionable successful nan first half of this year, bringing nan full up to 551, not moreover including nan caller Cathay Pacific deal. Naturally, tariffs person made deliveries a financially fraught process, truthful precisely erstwhile and really each hose will get them is an unfastened question. Then again, nan level still has to get certified anyway. 2026! Boeing promises.