Boeing 777x First Flight
Inside Boeing's Everett assembly plant, the first 777X flight test plane is all but complete. Boeing introduced a number of advanced technologies with the 777 design, including fully digital fly-by-wire controls, fully software-configurable avionics, Honeywell LCD glass cockpit flight displays, and the first use of a fiber optic avionics network on a commercial airliner.
Four hours after its historic 10:09 a.m. departure from Everett, Washington, Boeing’s newest and longest twin-aisle airplane, the 777X, successfully completed its first flight when it landed to the cheers of a crowd at Boeing Field in Seattle.
“The 777X flew beautifully, and today’s testing was very productive,” said Capt. Van Chaney, 777/777X chief pilot for Test & Evaluation. “Thank you to all the teams who made today possible. I can’t wait to go fly your airplane again.”
Chaney and Chief Pilot Craig Bomben flew the airplane from Paine Field in Everett, over Washington state. During the flight, they worked through a detailed test plan to exercise the airplane’s systems and structures while the test team in Seattle monitored the data in real time. The airplane, WH001, will now undergo checks before resuming testing in the coming days. It is the first of four dedicated 777-9 test airplanes.
Employees who witnessed either the takeoff from Paine Field in Everett, Washington, or the Boeing Field landing shared why they turned out on a chilly, overcast weekend to be a part of it.
“It’s cold, yes, but it’s very heartwarming to see our product that we have worked on so hard just take flight,” Diego Castano, 777/777X account manager for Customer Engineering said during the morning takeoff. “We can produce incredible machines, beautiful machines that actually bring the world together.”
Brent Snickers was determined to see it when he arrived with his camera at Boeing Field for the landing. The 12-year Fabrication employee in Auburn, Washington, works on a team that supplies paint packages to the 777X program. He had waited with thousands of others in the rain Friday to see the takeoff before it was postponed due to strong winds.
“This morning (Saturday) I watched the takeoff on TV, then I got in my truck and hurried up here to watch the landing. It’s a step forward, for the positive, for The Boeing Company,” Snickers said.
Saturday’s flight is the latest milestone in an effort to build the 777X that involves Boeing sites and partnerships in the U.S. and around the world.
“Our Boeing team has taken the most successful twin-aisle jet of all time and made it even more efficient, more capable and more comfortable for all,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Commercial Airplanes. “Today’s safe first flight of the 777X is a tribute to the years of hard work and dedication from our teammates, our suppliers and our community partners in Washington state and across the globe.”
The 777X is based on the 777, the most successful twin-aisle airplane ever, and integrates advanced technologies from the 787 Dreamliner. Through advanced aerodynamics, the latest generation carbon-fiber composite wing and the advanced GE Aviation GE9X engine, it is designed to be the largest and most fuel-efficient twin-engine jet in the world.
To build it, Boeing invested more than $1 billion to construct the Composite Wing Center in Everett to manufacture the largest commercial airplane wing the company has ever built for the 777X.
The 777X, which launched in 2013, includes 777-8 and 777-9 variants. To date, the 777X has outsold the competition by nearly 2 to 1 with orders and commitments for 340 airplanes.
The first 777X rolled out of the factory in March 2019. First delivery is slated for 2021.
Ed Gillette, 777X Customer Engineering senior manager, called seeing the first flight “a privilege,” and reflected upon the often personal significance for him and other employees.
“I’ve been at Boeing over 20 years, my family has worked for Boeing for more than 40 years. And there are few things as an engineer that give me more pride than seeing a flying machine that makes the world a better place,” he said.
The 777X climbs smoothly into the air over Everett, Washington to begin its first flight.
Boeing PhotoThe 777X takes off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington.
Boeing PhotoBoeing 777x First Flight Webcast
The 777X approaches Boeing Field in Seattle for a landing after nearly four hours in the air over Washington during its first flight.
Boeing PhotoThe first ever Boeing 777X has flown for the first time from Paine Field airport, Everett WA. The aircraft (WH001), a 777-9 registered as N779XW, took off at 10:09 local time (PST) on Saturday morning.
Boeing’s new flagship was initially scheduled to fly in June 2019, but was delayed due to problems with the new engine. General Electric exclusively provides the GE9X engine for the 777X family. Incidentally, the first 777-200 also had issues with it’s Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine before its entry into service. The first flight was scheduled to take place on January 23rd, but was pushed to the 24th due to weather. The flight was cancelled after the aircraft held short of the runway for 3 hours on the 24th, once again due to weather.
The first Boeing #777X is in flight. After a few hours of flying, the jet will land at Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington.
Track the flight here: https://t.co/ekfjglCcb7pic.twitter.com/XRTetREL4M
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) January 25, 2020
Boeing 777x First Flight Video
An updated original
The Boeing 777X is a lengthened and modernised version of the legacy Boeing 777 which first flew in 1994. The Boeing 777 is almost solely responsible for the demise of four engined long-haul airliners. In the 90’s it offered unparalleled efficiency for its size, when compared to the Boeing 747 and Airbus A340.
Some of the new features of the 777X include the aforementioned new engines, an updated cabin with larger windows and LED lighting as has become commonplace for new airliners since the 787 Dreamliner a decade ago. The 777X’s party piece, however, is its massive new wing. Coming in with a span of 235 feet, 5 in (71.75 m), the 777X is too wide for any current 777 compatible gate. Therefore Boeing and Liebherr Aerospace have developed a folding wingtip, reminiscent of military aircraft built for storage on aircraft carriers. The outer 11 feet (3.5 m) of each wing folds upwards whilst the aircraft is on the ground, extending before take-off and folding after landing.
There are two variants of the 777X family; the 777-9 is the larger and most popular variant which also carried out the first flight today, while the first 777-8 is still yet to be built. The 777X is set to replace larger, ageing aircraft such as the 747 and Airbus A380, as well as older previous-generation 777-300ER. The 777-9 will seat up to 426 passengers over a range of up to 7,285 nmi (13,500 km). There are currently 309 orders for the type, with Lufthansa set to be the launch customer in 2021. The German flag carrier plans to use the new aircraft to introduce its new Business Class product.
Boeing 777x First Flight Pilot
Matt is a London-based writer and reporter for International Flight Network who has been involved in aviation from a very young age. He has a particular focus on aircraft safety, accidents and technical details.