Boeing’s seventh 777-9 took to the skies for the first time late last month as the testing campaign for the long-delayed type appears to be ramping up.
The aircraft departed Paine Field in Everett, Washington, on July 24 and flew for about three hours over Washington, Idaho, and Oregon. It landed back at Paine Field that evening.
According to Boeing, an engineering pilot on board the flight said the airplane performed “beautifully.”
The company said the jet will be used to conduct extended operations (ETOPS) and function and reliability testing over the next several months.
“It’s quite a milestone, but it’s not the end of the line,” JeRae McCoy, 777X change incorporation and refurbishment conformities manager, said in a news release. “We’ve got more work to do to certify this airplane and begin deliveries. We’re going to keep working together to get there.”
The 777X – designed as the successor to the 777 – has faced numerous delays since development began in the early 2010s. Preliminary testing revealed cracks in the aircraft’s engine thrust links, and an “uncommanded pitch event” in 2020 drew intense scrutiny from the FAA. At the same time, Boeing had to shuffle workers and resources to the 737 MAX program after the fatal crash of two MAX jets.
The 777X program has largely stabilized over the last two years, however, and Boeing now expects the type to be certified and enter commercial service in 2027.
More recently, on Aug. 3, Boeing said that it got five 777-9s airborne within 24 hours. Crews conducted systems, propulsion, and interior tests during about 18 hours of flight testing and additional ground tests.
Customers have so far ordered more than 650 777X airplanes.
