Boeing 777x Maiden Flight
The new Boeing 777X will be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, unmatched in every aspect of performance. With new breakthroughs in aerodynamics and engines, the 777X will deliver 10 percent lower fuel use and emissions and 10 percent lower operating costs than the competition. Boeing Co successfully staged the first flight of the world's largest twin-engined jetliner on Saturday in a respite from the crisis over its smallest model, the grounded 737 MAX. The 777X, a larger version of the 777 mini-jumbo, touched down at the historic Boeing Field outside Seattle at 2 pm (2200 GMT) after a debut which began almost four hours earlier at Boeing's revamped wide-body. Boeing 777X makes maiden flight Video Seven years since the program was launched, Boeing’s newest, state-of-the-art airliner, featuring cutting-edge technology such as folding wingtips and the biggest turbine engine in the world, the Boeing 777X, finally embarked on its maiden flight, taking off for the first time on January 25, 2020. Based on the most successful twin-aisle airplane ever, the Boeing 777, and with advanced technologies from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the 777X will be the largest and most fuel efficient twin-engine jet in the world, with an exceptional passenger experience. 777X First Flight Webcast 777X First Flight Scheduled. Ended Jan 24th, 2020. Boeing 777X WH001 as N779XW Paint Hangar Rollout Photo: Boeing MIAMI — Following numerous setbacks, including an Entry into Service (EIS) delay from mid-2020 to late 2021, the Boeing 777X was scheduled to finally take to the skies on January 23, 2020, but this has now been delayed due to poor weather and low visibility in the Puget Sound region.
The 777X made its first flight over Washington state at 10:09 am local time and landed at 2:00 pm outside Seattle. Previously, the company had to put off two earlier attempts due to high winds.
The company published several tweets on the details of the flight.
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
The #777X is en route and currently flying over eastern Washington. Visit our 777X event webpage to continue to track the flight: https://t.co/vORmt9mQ67pic.twitter.com/uSfN2CvCmD
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) January 25, 2020Preparing for landing. The new #777X is on final approach to Seattle’s Boeing Field after hours of testing over Washington state.
Join us #live soon to watch the airplane touch down: https://t.co/5Gu2KtsMJzpic.twitter.com/h7x1Vs3DWR
Congratulations to our customers and #777X team on today’s safe and successful flight, the first of many for the 777X as we continue our rigorous test program.
Continue the journey with us, signup for updates here: https://t.co/n7t9Os5Q6Ypic.twitter.com/rawf73V6x5
Earlier in the day, Boeing officials said, as quoted by Reuters, that the maiden flight would continue 3-5 hours and then the model would be tested for months before the jetliner enters service with Emirates in 2021.
“To me, this is the flagship for the big airlines around the world ... it represents the great things we can do as a company”, 777X marketing director Wendy Sowers added.
According to information on the company's website, the new Boeing 777X is expected to be the world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet, which will deliver 10 percent lower fuel use and emissions and 10 percent lower operating costs than the competition.
The Boeing 777X has new GE9X engines, as well as greater cabin width and new composite wings. The aircraft was designed to hold 400 people, on average.
The company has said that 309 of the aircraft, worth more than $442 million each, were already purchased.
Events in recent years have seen the Boeing 737 MAX become one of the most controversial aircraft of its generation. Today, it sees limited (but increasing) commercial service after almost two years on the ground. But where did it all begin for Boeing’s next-generation single-aisle twinjet airliner?
Yesterday marked half a decade since the 737 MAX’s first flight. It has been a difficult five years for the American manufacturer’s next-generation narrowbody. Photo: Vincenzo Pace JFKJets.com
The first test flight
Five years ago yesterday, on January 29th, 2016, the Boeing 737 MAX took to the skies for the first time. This maiden voyage involved the MAX 8, the type’s second-smallest variant after the MAX 7. It marked the latest step in almost half a century of 737 history, with the original 737-100 having made its first flight 49 years previously in 1967.
The flight departed Renton Municipal Airport, Washington (RNT) at 09:46 local time. After two hours and 47 minutes of flight, the MAX landed just outside Seattle at the nearby Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI) at 12:33 local time.
The test flight did not particularly push the aircraft towards its operational limits, flying up to 25,000 feet at speeds of up to 250 knots (463 km/h). Nonetheless, it provided a good opportunity to test its structures and systems.
The MAX’s inaugural test flight in January 2016 lasted just under three hours. Photo: Getty Images
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While 737 MAX Chief Pilot Ed Wilson and Boeing Chief Test Pilot and Vice President of Flight Operations Craig Bomben flew the aircraft, a team on the ground was able to receive and analyze flight testing data in real-time. Onboard data transmission on the test aircraft made this analysis possible.
Positive reactions
The test flight was met with a highly positive reaction from Boeing. In a press release seen by Simple Flying, president and CEO Ray Conner stated afterward that:
“Today’s first flight of the 737 MAX carries us across the threshold of a new century of innovation – one driven by the same passion and ingenuity that have made this company great for 100 years. We are tremendously proud to begin testing an airplane that will deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency in the single-aisle market for our customers.”
Boeing’s test pilots were pleased with how the MAX performed during its first flight. Photo: Getty Images
The test flight’s pilots also shared Conner’s positivity towards the new aircraft. Captain Wilson said the following in the release:
“The flight was a success. The 737 MAX just felt right in flight, giving us complete confidence that this airplane will meet our customers’ expectations.”
At this stage, Boeing was expecting to complete the MAX’s “first delivery to Southwest Airlines in the third quarter of 2017.” However, the type’s commercial introduction came quicker than the American manufacturer was expecting.
Introduction into commercial service
In May 2017, Malaysian full-service carrier Malindo Air became the first airline to receive a 737 MAX, taking delivery of a MAX 8 on May 16th. It entered service with the Lion Air subsidiary six days later.
The MAX was well-suited to Norwegian’s lower-demand ‘long thin’ transatlantic routes. Photo: Valentin Hintikka via Flickr
Norwegian soon became the second airline to receive the MAX, operating its first transatlantic flight with a MAX 8 between Edinburgh and Bradley International, Connecticut on July 15th. As planned, Dallas-based low-cost carrier Southwest received its first MAX in 2017’s third quarter. Specifically, this occurred on August 29th.
Overall, the first year of MAX service saw a total of 130 deliveries to 28 customers worldwide. However, not long afterward, the type became infamous after a pair of strikingly similar accidents.
A tale of two tragedies
In October 2018, a Lion Air MAX 8 crashed in the sea just north of Jakarta shortly after takeoff from the Indonesian capital. Just five months later, in March 2019, an Ethiopian Airlines MAX 8 suffered a similar catastrophe after departing from Addis Ababa. Overall, all 346 passengers and crew onboard flights JT610 and ET302 perished in the two crashes.
The MAX crash involving Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 suffered a similar flight control system malfunction to Lion Air flight JT610 five months previously. Photo: Getty Images
The second of these disasters was soon found to have striking similarities to the first. This led to the type’s grounding by various aviation safety agencies worldwide over the following days. The last of these was the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), which banned MAX operations in the US on March 13th, 2019, following an executive order by then-President Donald Trump. Thus began a 20-month grounding period for the 737 MAX, which would last until November 2020.
Recertification and reintroduction
The MAX’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) played a deadly role in the two crashes. As such, Boeing spent months of the grounding period redesigning the computer architecture that supported it. It also slowed production of the aircraft, although it still had a backlog of around 450 undelivered but complete aircraft at its peak.
The company made huge losses as a result of the negative publicity generated by the MAX accidents. These were compounded by the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, which led to a loss of more than $2 billion in last year’s second quarter.
Boeing built up a significant backlog of MAX aircraft that it could not deliver during the type’s 20-month grounding period. Photo: Vincenzo Pace JFKJets.com
Towards the end of last year, Boeing finally turned a crucial corner with the MAX. Having met standards put in place by the FAA, the aircraft was recertified for service in the US on November 17th. Eight days later, Brazil became the second country to recertify the MAX. Brazil was also where its first post-recertification commercial flights took place, operated on December 9th by low-cost carrier GOL.
2021 – a key year for the MAX
Despite the positive end to 2020 in the form of recertification, 2021 has got off to a difficult start for Boeing. Earlier this month, the company was ordered to pay multiple penalties amounting to a total of $2.5 billion. The crux of the matter was a conspiracy to defraud the FAA’s Aircraft Evaluation Group concerning their evaluation of the 737 MAX.
As more and more countries grant the type recertification, 2021 is likely to prove a crucial year for the MAX. Photo: Getty Images
Nonetheless, this year is set to be a hugely significant one for the aircraft, even with coronavirus continuing to impact the industry. This month saw a spate of recertification, beginning with Canada, where WestJet operated the country’s first commercial MAX flight since March 2019. Earlier this week, the EASA also granted the type recertification to operate commercial flights in the EU, with the British CAA following suit shortly afterward.
As more and more countries recertify the MAX, Boeing will increasingly be able to deliver its backlog of aircraft. Correspondingly, more and more airlines will be able to introduce, or re-introduce, the type into active commercial service. It is vital that they can quickly build customer confidence in the aircraft. With 450 seamless MAX flights operated in its first month at the carrier, American Airlines has certainly made an encouraging start in this matter.
Boeing 777x First Flight Schedule
What do you think the next five years hold for the 737 MAX? Have you flown, or do you plan to fly, on one? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
Boeing 777x First Flight Date
Article Source simpleflying.com