B777 First Flight

EVERETT: Boeing welcomed its newest airliner, the enormous 777-9X, to the skies for the first time on Saturday. The crucial milestone ushers the program into the flight test phase required for certification. Boeing anticipates first delivery in early 2021.

The third time was the charm for Boeing, which had previously attempted a first flight twice in recent days. Both attempts – one of which made it all the way to the runway before being scrubbed hours later – were fouled by heavy wind and rain.

The Boeing 777 wide-body is the world’s largest twin-engine jet airliner, first flown in June of 1994. Commonly referred to as the ‘Triple Seven,’ the 777 is Boeing’s first fly-by-wire airliner (an electronic system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft) and the first commercial aircraft entirely computer-designed. The first flight, which took place at Boeing's Seattle-area factory, is a key milestone that finally starts the widebody jet's delayed test program. The Boeing 777X includes the 777-8 and 777-9. Japan Airlines Boeing 777-300ER First Class – Wi-Fi Voucher Japan Airlines Boeing 777-300ER First Class – 1 Hour Wi-Fi Rate Japan Airlines Boeing 777-300ER First Class – Full Flight Wi-Fi Rate The internet speed was atrociously slow and then ended up crapping out in the satellite blackout zone as we headed near the North Pole flying great.

Today the twinjet triumphed, sailing into grey skies at 10:09 PST, much to the delight of onlookers. It was airborne for five hours, completing a series of basic flight tests. It landed at nearby Boeing Field, the company’s test-flight hub, and was greeted with a short arrival ceremony.

The moment the 777X took off for the very first time. Image: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren

A revamp of Boeing’s extremely popular Boeing 777 line, the 777X features a new carbon-composite wing (the largest ever), bigger windows, and 11ft tall folding wingtips. The aircraft aloft today is a 777-9X, the larger of two expected family members. It will seat between 384 and 426 passengers in a two-class configuration. It has an anticipated range of 7285 nmi, or roughly the distance from Los Angeles to Dubai.

A smaller but longer range -8X is expected, but weak demand and other priorities have, for now, placed its development on the back burner. “We’ve decided to put a pause on that airplane and slide it out,” said Wendy Sowers, director of marketing for the 777X program, adding that a 2024 offering would be more likely.

Boeing says passengers can look forward to a number of features, many of which have been grafted over from the company’s innovate 787 Dreamliner. The most obvious are the windows, which despite the 777X’s aluminum fuselage will be 30% bigger, and placed higher on the fuselage. Operators have the option of choosing dimmable technology technology, as offered as standard on the 787.

The airframer has also vowed that the 777X, in 10-abreast configuration, will be more comfortable for economy class passengers than the 777-300ER through interior sidewall refinements. Economy seats destined to be installed on the aircraft measure 17.4 inches in width.

The 777X is built to compete with Airbus’ A350-1000. Boeing says it will carry 53 more seats at 10% lower costs. The new twinjet is also intended to replace its older sibling, the existing Boeing 777-300 aircraft at 13% lower costs. It made a splashy debut seven years ago at the 2013 Dubai Air Show, where launch customer Emirates announced a jaw-dropping order for 150 777Xs at a standing room only press conference. It was the largest aircraft order ever at the time, valued at $76 billion US at sticker prices.

As of today, the order book counts 309 firm orders from the likes of ANA, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. The pace, however, has been slow as of late. And Emirates’ large order has been scaled back.

Here’s the current order book and airlines for the #777X. pic.twitter.com/4BCN947FQZ

— Howard Slutsken (@HowardSlutsken) January 24, 2020

Boeing remains publicly unconcerned about the low number so far. The company, in a media briefing attended by Runway Girl Network, said it expects airlines to need 60-100 jets per year going forward based simply on retirement of existing widebody jets such as Boeing’s 777-300.

The successful flight today was a much needed shot of good news for the beleaguered manufacturer, which has struggled with a series of crises on almost every front over the past 18 months.

On the 777X, Boeing had initially planned first-flight for summer of 2019, but issues with the aircraft’s new General Electric GE9X engines forced the airframer to hold back as GE retooled and recertified the engine. The slip-up pushed the program back several months, from an original delivery date in mid-2020.

Additionally, Boeing’s Starliner space program recently failed a key milestone; cracks in the current generation of 737s began appearing last year, much earlier than expected; and its KC-46 aerial refueling tanker has faced a litany of ongoing setbacks.

The 737 MAX remains chief among Boeing’s problems more than a year after the first of two airplanes crashed in similar circumstances. Both would soon be tied to a previously unknown software program called MCAS, and Boeing’s season of ongoing groundings, shocking internal emails, congressional castigations, and an ousted CEO would begin in earnest.

Fallout from the MAX is likely to extend into the 777X program as Boeing’s newly strained relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration continues to suffer. The safety agency has focused a harsh spotlight on Boeing certifications following the MAX, spurring concerns that the 777X process may be longer and more intense than previously thought.

“We’re going to take all the lessons learned with the MAX and be applying them,” said Sowers.

And then there’s the open question of whether foreign certification regulators will continue to accept the FAA’s stamp of approval as their own. Several have been openly wary of continuing the decades-long practice after it was revealed that the FAA had frequently allowed Boeing to self-certify test results for the MAX. In a worst case scenario, Boeing could be forced to certify the jet on a country by country basis, a time-consuming and hugely expensive task.

Either, in addition to any issues that crop up during testing, could mean further slippage on published delivery dates.

But for now, it’s all smiles at Boeing. The aircraft landed at Boeing Field in Seattle, just past 2pm local time in a light mist.

Onlookers swarmed to see the 777X land safely at Boeing Field. Image: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren

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The Boeing 777 wide-body is the world’s largest twin-engine jet airliner, first flown in June of 1994. Commonly referred to as the ‘Triple Seven,’ the 777 is Boeing’s first fly-by-wire airliner (an electronic system that replaces the conventional manual flight controls of an aircraft) and the first commercial aircraft entirely computer-designed. The aircraft is used on long-range flights where the capacity of the much larger 747 is not required. Up to 451 people can be carried in some versions of the aircraft, making it an attractive fuel-efficient option since it can fly on only two engines.

Boeing 777 Facts

• The Boeing 777 is the world’s largest twinjet.
• The first Boeing 777 model, the 777-200, entered commercial service with United Airlines in 1995.
• Ranks as one of Boeing’s best-selling models.
• Typical seating capacity of between 314 and 451 passengers.
• Flight range between 5,235 and 8,555 nautical miles.
• Direct competitors: Airbus A330-300, Airbus A350 XWB, Airbus A340 (out of production), and McDonnell Douglas MD-11 (out of production).
• Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash represented the first fatal Boeing 777 crash in roughly 18 years of service.
• Boeing now working on the 777-8X and 777-9X, new variants with improved engines and other technologies. Should be available in 2020.

Boeing 777 Aircraft Variants

There are several different variants of the Boeing 777. The company defines their 777 models based on fuselage length (which determines how many passengers can fit within the plane) and range (how far the plane can fly between takeoff and landing, as allowed by fuel capacity).

Range is categorized by three different market segments:

1. A Market – Up to 4,200 nautical miles
2. B Market – Up to 6,600 nautical miles
3. C Market – Up to 7,800 nautical miles

Boeing 777-200 – The first Boeing 777-200 was delivered to United Airlines in 1995 as the initial A Market 777. The 777-200 has a maximum range of 5,240 nautical miles (9,700 km) and was aimed at U.S. domestic airline operators.

At present, there are nine different airlines with Boeing 777-200 planes in their fleet. The closest competitor to the 777-200 is the Airbus A330-300.

Boeing 777-200ER – The major difference between the Boeing 777-200 and the 777-200ER (ER stands for ‘extended range’) is that the 777-200ER has a longer range with a higher maximum takeoff weight. As the first B Market 777, the Boeing 777-200ER was aimed at international airlines that operate transatlantic routes.

The first airline to add the Boeing 777-200ER to its fleet was British Airways in 1997. Singapore Airlines is one of the largest Boeing 777-200ER customers.

Boeing 777-200LR – The LR stands for ‘long-range’ and was specifically developed for ultra-long-haul routes, one of which being the Los Angeles to Singapore route. Developed alongside the 777-300ER, the 777-200LR belongs to the C Market. It has been nicknamed the ‘Worldliner’ because, in theory, it can connect any two airports in the world. The Boeing 777-200LR holds the record for the longest nonstop flight by any commercial airliner.

Boeing 777-300 – The Boeing 777-300 was designed to be a replacement option for the Boeing 747-100 and 747-200. The Boeing 777-300 shares a similar passenger capacity to the 747-100’s and 747-200’s, but consumes about a third the amount of fuel and is estimated to cost 40 percent less to maintain. As an A Market aircraft, the Boeing 777-300 is most widely used by Asian airlines flying heavily-traveled Japanese routes.

Boeing 777-300ER – The Boeing 777-300ER (extended range) features raked and extended wingtips, a larger wing aspect ratio (9.0), reinforced nose gear, new main landing gear, and additional fuel tanks. The aircraft was also built with a strengthened engine attachment, fuselage, empennage, and wings. The 777-300ER features GE90-115B turbofan engine, the most powerful jet engine currently in use. As a C Market aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER can fly roughly 30 percent further than the 777-300, even when loaded with passengers and cargo.

The Boeing 777-300ER is the highest-selling Boeing 777 variant.

Boeing 777F – The Boeing 777F (the F is for Freightliner) has the same features as the 777-200ER, only geared toward hauling cargo instead of passengers. The aircraft’s cargo capacity is similar to that of the Boeing 747-200F. The cargo plane has a maximum range of 4,900 nautical miles (at maximum payload).

Boeing 777-8X and 777-9X – The Boeing 777-X family of aircraft are currently under development. The 777X series will have new engines, composite wings, and technology similar to that of the Boeing 787. The 777-8X and the larger 777-9X are intended to compete with the Airbus A350. Sources have indicated that the 777-9X will be service ready in 2020.

Boeing 777VIP – The Boeing 777VIP (777 Business Jet) was designed for corporate customers. The company has received orders for the 777VIP to be constructed similar to the 777-200LR and 777-300ER. The main difference: the 777VIP will feature private passenger cabins. Boeing 777VIP’s serve as official government transports for the nations of Gabon (VIP-configured 777-200ER), Turkmenistan (VIP-configured 777-200LR), and the United Arab Emirates (VIP-configured 777-200ER and 777-300ER operated by Abu Dhabi Amiri Flight).

Boeing KC-777 – A tanker version of the 777, the Boeing KC-777 (777 Tanker) was proposed in September 2006. Boeing announced that the KC-777 would be produced for the U.S. Air Force if it required a larger tanker aircraft than the KC-767. Boeing officials have indicated the KC-777 would be a suitable replacement for the wide-body McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender.

Largest Boeing 777 Operators

As of July of 2015, Emirates is the airline with the largest fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft. Emirates is also the only airline in the world that has operated all 777 variants (777-200, 777-200ER, 777-200LR, 777-300, 777-300ER, and 777F). The International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, and Air France are the other largest consumers of Boeing 777 aircraft.

Boeing 777 Incidents and Accidents

The 777 has an enviable safety record since its introduction in 1995, though the aircraft has been involved in a number of serious incidents and accidents. Below are several of the most serious Boeing 777 incidents and accidents:

• January 6, 2018 – Two Boeing 777s clipped each other at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York. The accident happened when a China Southern aircraft was being towed and its right wing tip clipped the tail of a Kuwait Airways aircraft that was parked while awaiting take-off. No one onboard the Kuwait Airways plane was injured but the flight was canceled due to the Boeing 777 being deemed inoperable. There were no passengers or crew on the China Southern aircraft.
• September 8, 2015 – British Airways Flight 2276 caught fire on a runway at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Initial reports indicate the General Electric GE90-85B engine suffered a serious engine failure. The flight was aborted and the passengers and crew members were evacuated using the emergency slides. Minor injuries were reported.
• July 17, 2014 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was heading to Kuala Lumpur from Amsterdam when the Boeing 777-200ER was hit by an anti-aircraft missile. The plane went down in the Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members on the plane were killed.
• March 8, 2014 – Boeing 777’s most recent hull loss was Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 that was reported missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The Boeing 777-200ER was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew-there were no survivors. The last reported coordinates for the missing jumbo jet were over the South China Sea. However, one year later on July 29, 2015, plane debris, confirmed by French investigators to be from MH370, was found on Reunion Island, a French island in the Indian Ocean.
• July 6, 2013 – The Boeing 777’s first accident that resulted in fatalities happened when Asiana Airlines Flight 214 (a Boeing 777-200ER) crashed during a botched landing attempt at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The tail section of the plane collided with a seawall short of one of the airport’s runways. Surviving passengers and crew evacuated before the aircraft was destroyed by fire. Out of the 307 people on the plane, three were killed. These were the first deaths in a 777 crash since the aircraft entered service back in 1995. Baum Hedlund represents 17 passengers injured in this crash.
• July 29, 2011 – A Boeing 777-200ER (operating as EgyptAir Flight 667) suffered a cockpit fire while the aircraft was sitting at a gate at Cairo International Airport. EgyptAir Flight 667 was successfully evacuated and no injuries were reported. Fire officials at the airport were able to extinguish the blaze, though the aircraft sustained structural, heat and smoke damage. The aircraft was taken out of the fleet.
• January 17, 2008 – The Boeing 777’s first hull-loss incident was on January 17, 2008. A total of 47 people aboard British Airways Flight 38 sustained injuries, though no fatalities were reported. In that incident, ice crystals formed in the fuel-oil heat exchanger, which restricted flow to the engines as the British Airlines plane was landing at London’s Heathrow Airport. The Boeing 777s with Rolls-Royce engines were subsequently modified to avoid such a reoccurrence of the fuel problem.
• September 5, 2001 – A British Airways flight was refueling at Denver International Airport when a groundworker was burned to death. The plane sustained fire damage, but was repaired and eventually returned to service.

B777 First Flight Plane

Boeing 777 Information

B777 First Flight Path

Construction Number: 29171
Registration Number: HL7742
Configuration: C32Y271
Engines: 2x PW PW4090
Type: 777-28E(ER)
First Flight: February 25, 2006