Boeing 777X: Everything You Need to Know

Folding wingtips, larger windows, and a wider cabin-- this is the future of Boeing's 777, with a new model expected to get going in 2025.

The 777X is expected to be launched in late 2025 or 2026, and will have two variants, the 777-8 and 777-9.

The 777-9 will be the world's longest twinjet when it goes into production, with a fuselage length of 251.7 ft and a total wingspan of 235 feet and 5 inches with the wingtips unfolded. The wingtips fold up to allow the airplane to fit into normal airport gates, as longer wings allow for more lift and stability while reducing drag, which, in turn, reduces fuel consumption. These folding wingtips will be the first of their kind in modern aviation.

Boeing's new GE9X engines -- which are the world's largest and most powerful engines and 10% more fuel efficient than their previous GE90 engines on older 777s -- will power the plane, and the reduction of fuel consumption and more efficient engines will allow the aircraft to fly farther: the 777-9 has a range of 8,383 miles, and the shorter 777-8 has a range of 10,046 miles.

Interior-wise, the plane is quite similar to the 787 Dreamliner, but with a couple of differences. A wider cabin allows for more space while seating 384 people on the 777X-8 and 426 on the 777X-9 in typical three-class configurations.

However, we actually don't know when this aircraft could potentially enter production. The project was first proposed in 2013, with an expected entry-into-service date of 2018. Unfortunately for Boeing, their 2018 and 2019 plane crashes of the 737 Max and engine issues with the GE9X led to delays of the launch until 2020, and the pandemic continued that delay. Also, during testing of the aircraft, a door flew off, similar to a recent incident with an Alaska Airlines flight, which delayed certification even more.

Then, broken thrust links were discovered in August aboard a 777-9 being used for testing in Hawaii. Thrust links are structural pieces located inside the engine frame that transfer thrust -- the force that moves the plane forward -- from the engine to the frame of the plane, helping the engine to take less stress and allow the airframe to absorb more force. Other investigations found cracked thrust links on the other three planes in the 777X fleet of four, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground the plane and delay its launch.

After extensive fixes took place on the aircraft, the Boeing 777-9 initially discovered with the issue completed a one hour, 29 minute test flight on September 6 in Kona, Hawaii. Although the plane only conducted low-altitude tests before returning to the airport, the successful test instills more hope for a sooner launch in the various customers of the 777X.

Not just passengers, but numerous airlines are depending on this plane. Emirates, Cathay Pacific, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, and Lufthansa were all planning to debut new first/business class products on the 777X, but have had to find a workaround. There are already 481 orders on the aircraft, and their largest customer, Emirates, is responsible for almost around 43% of those orders. The top five customers of the 777X are Emirates (205), Qatar (74), Singapore (31), Lufthansa (27), and Etihad (25).

Boeing is now aiming for a launch in late 2025 or early 2026, but that could very well be delayed even more. After recently pleading guilty to defrauding the FAA in the 2018 and 2019 crashes, they will be under extreme scrutiny from the organization at all times-- which has been delaying their assembly line process. Boeing management is also in a mess, as most of their senior officials were fired after the 737 Max incidents.

We'll just have to wait and see if the plane actually enters service in 2025-- or will it be delayed again?

Image courtesy of The Boeing Company