The folding wingtips on Boeing's massive new 777X are a first in commercial aviation. Here's why the plane needs them.
The 777X will be available in two passenger variants, the larger 777-9 and the smaller 777-8, which can carry up to 426 and 384 passengers, respectively.
It will also have a freighter option called the 777F.
Its predecessor is Boeing's best-selling 777 variant, with over 800 units sold since 2000
The 777X is operationally similar to the classic 777. Further, the 777X's flight deck resembles that of the 787. This plane-to-plane familiarity means pilots can cross-train on 777 and 787 aircraft with minimal training, saving airlines money.
Boeing is using four experimental 777X planes for its certification program. They have already flown thousands of hours across some 1,00 test flights.
For example, the 777X's massive General Electric GE9X engines generate more than 100,000 pounds of thrust, making the GE9X the biggest and most powerful engine ever made for a commercial airliner.
Meanwhile, the 777X's 10-abreast seats, which are common on the classic 777, are more spacious thanks to its wider cabin. The 777X will also have bigger and better windows, which can be dimmed to a level of darkness not achievable on other widebodies.
The design has never been seen on passenger planes but has found success in military aviation for almost 100 years to offset the limited parking space on air carriers, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The 777X has a wingspan of 235 feet, 5 inches, which means it is too wide to fit into existing 777 airport gates.
This allows the 777X to fit into gates capable of fitting the current 777 models without modifications or changes to the airport.
At launch, many airports couldn't accommodate the A380 superjumbo without modifying the gates and building wider taxiways and runways, limiting where airlines could fly it. Boeing didn't want the same problem with its new flagship 777X.
The 777X's wings are about 23 feet longer than the 777's, allowing the jet to generate more lift. According to Boeing, this increases efficiency by reducing fuel burn by about 10% compared to competing widebodies.
The company said this strategy means the longer wings do not increase the jet's weight. The composite materials are also beneficial because they allow the wings to flex and bend during flight, which lowers the risk of damage.
Airbus launched the A350 in 2013, garring over 1,300 global orders. The plane is already flying passengers and is the 777X's biggest competitor.
The two families offer similarly giant cabins and good long-haul economics, but each has distinct differences that make it more or less favorable to certain airlines. For example, the A350 is smaller than the 777-9 model but longer-ranged and cheaper.
It is also not mired with the same production problems as the 777X program, meaning it isn't sitting in production limbo costing Boeing and airlines millions.
The 777X's size and efficiency make it particularly favorable for Middle Eastern carriers Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar because of their strong hub-and-spoke networks, which rely on big planes to shuttle as many people as possible between cities at once.
All three plan to phase out older planes like the A380 and replace them with the more efficient 777X. However, according to Reuters, flying less efficient planes longer than expected is eating into airline bottom lines.
Boeing has been scrutinized since the January Alaska Airlines 737 Max door plug blowout, which questioned its ability to safely produce airplanes. That, combined with ongoing production issues on its 787 Dreamliners, too, has made certifying new planes even harder.
Still, Clark told The Air Current that the 777X is a promising plane despite being an ongoing headache for operators.
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