Beleagured aircraft manufacturer Boeing has confirmed that it has finally started certification flights of its long-awaited and much-delayed 777X airliner – the next generation of the company’s popular 777 widebody jet that has been beset with issues.
On Saturday, the Chicago-based manufacturer confirmed that it is finally working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to clear the 777X (which is also known as the 777-9) for certification.
The first test flight with federal aviation inspectors on board took place on July 12 after the FAA awarded the aircraft its Type Inspection Authorization (TIA).
The TIA is a vital step in the approval process for a new aircraft and will allow Boeing to step up official flight tests. These test flights will aim to prove that the 777X is compliant with stringent airworthiness regulations.
Boeing first started test flights of its 777X in early 2020, but the certification journey had to be quickly abandoned after a slew of technical issues, including with the aircraft’s flight control system, were discovered.
The journey to certification has been further delayed by further regulatory oversight following the fatal 737MAX crashes, as well as the more recent mid-cabin exit door blowout on Alaska Airlines flight 1283 in January. Issues with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner program and whistleblower complaints have also posed massive challenges for Boeing.
The 777X is the next iteration in Boeing’s hugely successful 777 programme. The aircraft comes in two sizes: the 777-8, which is capable of seating 384 passengers in a two-class configuration and the 777-9, which can hold as many as 426 passengers. The list price for the airliner ranges from $410 million to $442 million.
Launch customers for the 777x include Emirates, Qatar Airways and Emirates. Other initial customers include ANA, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Etihad Airways.
Boeing is also said to be on the verge of sealing a deal with Korean Air for up to two dozen 777X aircraft at a list price of up to $6 billion.
The first 777X aircraft were meant to be delivered in 2020, but that timeline was quickly pushed back to 2021 before completely falling by the wayside, and problems engulfed the development program.
One of those problems included a high-profile incident in which an aircraft door blew off during an extreme pressurisation test in 2019.
The 777X has been in development since 2013, and the aircraft features a new composite structure and massive new wings that are so large that Boeing has created a folding wing-tip design so that the plane can park at existing airport gates.
Emirates is likely to be the launch customer for the 777-9 but the Dubai-based airline doesn’t now expect to get its hands on the aircraft until 2025 at the earliest.
