Summary
- Boeing’s 777-9 receives FAA certification, completing flights for high-altitude and nautical air miles tests.
- Despite delays, airlines like Singapore Airlines and Emirates trust Boeing to deliver the 777X.
- Korean Air and Qatar Airways recently placed orders for the new 777X at the Farnborough Airshow.
Since announcing it had received type certification from the Federal Aviation Administration for the 777-9, Boeing has flown the aircraft to several places. Earlier today, one of the test aircraft flew down to Mexico for high-altitude testing.
Certification flights
Boeing is eager to get the 777-9 (777X) flying commercially. After progress on the certification stalled, in the middle of last month, Boeing received its type certification for the aircraft. This meant that Boeing could start flight testing with regulators from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The first certification flight took place on July 12 at Boeing Field in Seattle. Boeing shared video of one of the aircraft taking off from BFI on social media.
While one test aircraft was in Seattle performing FAA certification flights, another aircraft was in Kona, Hawai’i performing nacelle cooling flight testing. On July 18, WH003/N779XY performed its second flight with the FAA onboard. During the second flight, which lasted over three hours, pilots conducted airspeed calibration testing.
On July 29, the same aircraft flew to Colorado Springs Airport, just south of Denver for nautical air miles survey (NAMS) tests. The 777-9 flew again on Wednesday, completing its tests in Colorado. Next up, Boeing flew the plane to Toluca, Mexico, earlier today for high-altitude tests.
The flight was scheduled to depart Colorado Springs Airport at 10:00 but left at 10:25. After a two hour and forty-two minute flight, the aircraft touched down in Toluca.
At this time, Flightradar24 data does not show any other scheduled flights, but Boeing has announced that one of the test aircraft will be at the Seattle Seafair air show this weekend. It is not clear when the aircraft will fly, but Boeing has three different “appearances” in the shows over the course of the weekend, including earlier today.
When will the 777X enter into service?
Originally, the first 777X should have been delivered in 2020, but Boeing has faced several delays in certification. Several aircraft have already been produced but have been stored at Boeing’s facilities in Everett. Production was halted in 2022, but resumed in 2023. The photo below, from the delivery of the final 747 in January 2023, shows several 777X parked at the airport.
A few months ago, Singapore Airlines’ CEO, Goh Choon Phong, announced that the airline expects to receive its first 777X in 2025. Emirates, one of the airlines with the largest 777X order, is afraid that its first delivery could be delayed until 2026. Despite delays, airlines are still trusting Boeing to deliver the new plane type, with two airlines placing orders for the 777X at the recent Farnborough Airshow.
Korean Air was the first to announce an order for 20 aircraft
, and, the next day,
Qatar Airways added 20 aircraft to its order.