Three years after its first flight, and first delivery target, the Boeing 777X remains in the certification process. Boeing's latest widebody has been hit with delays due to COVID, engine troubles, and extra scrutiny, all pushing back the first delivery by roughly five years. However, the planemaker has been busy recently, restarting tests and even booking a new customer. Here's the latest on the 777X in 2023.

Flying around

Boeing's four testbed 777Xs (all going to customers eventually) have been hard at work. Each plane has been designated a specific role, serving to test everything from low-speed aerodynamics to flight loads to auto-landing. After a brief pause at end of the last year due to an issue with the GE9X powerplants, the planes have been busy flying since December 2022. N779XW has been the busiest (electronic, taxi tests, and more), while N779XZ has been on the ground since November 2021 (extended twin operations, reliability, and more).

Currently, the planemaker expects the first 777X to be delivered in early 2025. The timeline has been slipping for a few years now, with the last target of Q4 2024 being moved forward last April, with more updates likely to come soon. The next crucial step, Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) is expected to be nearing, which will see FAA pilots hop onboard to authorize final certification steps.

Photo: BlueBarronPhoto / Shutterstock

As noted by Mentour Pilot, Boeing has been forced to move around resources in the last year. At first, the planemaker was concerned it wouldn't receive a cockpit change waiver for the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10, forcing it to deploy engineering and testing resources to those jets. However, with Congress authorizing a waiver, the focus returned to the 777X again, allowing it to inch closer to its TIA.

New order!

While Boeing has been taking direct criticism from customers like Emirates and indirect pessimism with delayed delivery timelines from others, the company booked a new 777X order this year. In February, Air India booked 10 777-9s, becoming the eighth customer for the latest generation widebody. The order was part of a 470 jet order by the carrier to both Airbus and Boeing, with the latter picking up 220 commitments (190 737 MAXs, 20 787s, and 10 777Xs).

While ten is not the biggest order by any margin, it is an important vote of confidence in a highly delayed program. However, with the 747 officially making its final delivery, the market is primed for a new widebody to take its place and replace the aging 777 classic variants.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

The project also took another step forward when Boeing unveiled the 777X freighter, which saw instant interest from the likes of Qatar Airways, Cargolux, Ethiopian Airlines, and more. While this was a response to the Airbus A350F, it will be a while before we see the 777XF take to the skies, since it will likely be built on the frame of the 777-8. For now, the 777X project has its work cut out for itself and with airlines eager to welcome the folding wingtip giant, it can ill afford more delays.

What do you think about the future of the 777X program? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Mentour Pilot