Boeing Moves One Step Closer To 777X Certification

Originally scheduled for first deliveries in 2020, the Boeing 777X program has been riddled with delays due to numerous shortcomings and increased scrutiny following the two Boeing 737 MAX 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019.

The certification process which they hoped would be completed by late 2019, has since dragged on for almost seven years due to issues with both the fuselage and new GE9X engine. They also faced increased regulatory scrutiny, dealt with supply chain delays following the pandemic, and were forced to redesign a number of major components from scratch.

Given increase regulatory requirements, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) broke down the 777X Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) program into five major segments. Boeing is continuing to make progress as they have successfully completed stage three, and were given the greenlight to move ahead with stage four testing.

Broken down into stage 4A and 4B, these substages focus on the avionics, and how complex systems interact with each other. They will also cover abnormal operations, failure scenarios, system redundancy logic and various safety protections. This is yet another critical phase as the 777X line features a much more modern flight deck when compared to present-day Boeing 777s.

Once stage four is completed, they will move ahead to stage five which covers Extended-range Twin-engine Operations Performance Standards (ETOPS), and various system and reliability validations using a delivery-ready aircraft. If successful, the FAA will then move to confirm that all regulatory requirements have been met before issuing a type certificate.

First deliveries expected in 2027

With the 777X certification program getting one step closer to the light at the end of the tunnel, Boeing is predicting that its first deliveries will take place in 2027. It’s been known for a while now that Lufthansa will be the launch customer, taking delivery of most popular 777-9 variant.

According to the order books, there are currently 619 units outstanding. The smaller 777-8 has 35 orders, while the 777-8F has 63 logged so far. The larger 777-9 has the lion’s share, with 521 orders on the books.

Even though that’s quite a list, those numbers are split between a small number of carriers, with Emirates and Qatar leading the pack by a mile. Emirates has 270 firm orders, while Qatar Airways has 124. Cathay Pacific is third in the line up with a much smaller order of 35 units, with Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa trailing right behind with 31 and 27 respectively. All figures above are inclusive of freighter orders.

Lufthansa has ordered 20 Boeing 777-9s for passenger service, and plans to use these to replace its fleet of Boeing 747s. Currently, Lufty has eight Boeing 747-400s and 18 747-8is, and it might be a good idea to give them a try before they are retired.

Add as preferred source on Google Follow on WhatsApp