Boeing is making the final touches on its upcoming 777x airliner. While the aerospace company has been working on the new 777 variant since 2011, it hasn’t produced a working prototype. That’s about to change, however, as Boeing recently announced plans to perform the first test flight of the 777X in 2019.
What Is the 777X?
The 777x is a new long-range wide-body aircraft being developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It’s part of the company’s 777 family and features two specific variants: the 777X-8 and the 777X-9, the latter of which is a larger variant that supports up to 414 passengers, compared to 365 passengers with the 777X-8.
The 777X has been designed with an emphasis on fuel efficiency. Even though it’s the largest twin-engine airliner in the world, the 777X is highly fuel efficient, allowing commercial airlines to save money and increase their profits. The 777X is particularly fuel efficient thanks to its carbon design. According to Wikipedia, the airliner’s long carbon wings make it about 7% more fuel efficient than other planes in the 777 family. Furthermore, its new engines improve the 777X’s fuel efficiency by an additional 10%.
When speaking about the 777X, Boeing’s Josh Binder explained that it’s a new airplane and a new production system. Even so, Boeing is working aggressively to meet its projected dates and get the new airliner into the air. “The 777X is a new airplane and a new production system,” said Josh Binder, team leader of Boeing’s 777X project. “With the 777X, the production system was integrated into the development program sooner than any other airplane, and the team is doing a great job of hitting our milestones as expected.”
About the 777X’s Upcoming Test Flight
Boeing recently conducted ground testing for the 777X in September. However, it hasn’t taken the new 777X into the skies. Rather, Boeing is planning to perform the first test flight sometime in 2019. The aerospace company hasn’t revealed a specific date for the test flight, though it did confirm plans to conduct this test flight sometime next year.
Even though it hasn’t performed a test flight, the Boeing 777X has already been sold to several airlines. Emirates, for example, is scheduled to take the first order of the upcoming 777X, which it will likely receive in 2020. According to various reports, Boeing has received more than 300 orders for the new airliner, attesting to its popularity. And once Boeing begins test flights for the 777X, will likely attract even more orders.
