Over three years after its first flight, and first delivery target,
the Boeing 777X still finds itself in the certification process.
Boeing's latest widebody has been hit with delays due to COVID but it hasn’t stopped there.
Engine troubles and extra regulator scrutiny have also been factors in pushing back the
first delivery by roughly five years. However, the planemaker has been busy in recent months,
restarting tests and even booking new customers. Here's the latest on the 777X in 2023.
Boeing's four testbed 777Xs (all eventually going to customers) have been hard at work.
Each plane has been designated a specific role. One is focused on
low-speed aerodynamics while another on flight loads and another on 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 (with electronic, taxi tests, and more). Meanwhile N779XZ has been on the
ground since November 2021. The jet is focused on 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 delayed.
The next crucial step, Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) is expected to be
nearing. This will see FAA pilots hop onboard to authorize final certification steps.
As noted by Mentour Pilot, Boeing has been forced to move around resources over the past year. At
first, the planemaker was concerned that it wouldn't receive a cockpit change waiver for
the 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10. This forced it to deploy engineering and testing resources to those jets.
However, with Congress authorizing a waiver, the focus has since returned to the 777X,
allowing it to inch closer to its Type Inspection Authorization.
On the topic of the Boeing 777X’s severe delays and its latest 2025
entry-into service target, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Dave Calhoun,
was reportedly denied his $7 million bonus due to delays. The company encouraged the
performance-based incentive when he replaced CEO Dennis Muilenburg
in 2020. The motivation was based on reaching at least seven milestones by the end of 2023.
The Boeing compensation committee met in August 2022 and noted that the incentive
would not be granted because the Boeing 777X was
unlikely to enter service by 2023, which was the manufacturer's goal.
The CEO will not be left entirely out of pocket for incentive payments. Indeed,
Calhoun is on track to receive most of his performance-based goals,
including reintroducing the Boeing 737 MAX into service. The committee also respected
Calhoun’s development timeline for the Boeing 777X, which has advanced in respect
to the manufacturer's best interest. This has come at the cost of the CEO's bonus.
In late-June 2023, it was noted that Boeing and engine maker General Electric (GE) had
jointly agreed to allow Emirates to conduct an integral part of the 777X program's advancement.
Leeham News and Analysis first reported the development at a Boeing event related
to the Paris Airshow. The outlet confirmed that the 777-9 variant
is set to go to Dubai in 2024 for about two months of proving flights.
It’s fitting that Emirates will be one of the airlines involved in the certification
process for the airliner. Afterall, the airline is Boeing’s largest customer for
the new widebody jet. Indeed, Emirates has more than 100 airframes on order.
2024’s proving tests will mark nearly five years since the airline initially
expected delivery of the plane, which has evidently experienced several delays.
On the topic of Emirates’ orders for the 777X, we reported in late July
that Emirates seems to be sticking to its previous threats about gradually abandoning
the Boeing 777-8 after the Boeing paused the program. A quick analysis of Boeing's June
order book shockingly revealed that the Gulf carrier substituted 16 777-8s for the 777-9
instead. This comes a decade after the initial order was placed at the Dubai Airshow in 2013.
The airline's President, Tim Clark, has routinely expressed frustration with Boeing's supposed lack
of communication and its overall quote-unquote 'incompetence' concerning the 777X program.
With the 777-8 paused and the 777-9 expected to be delivered in 2025,
Clark also chose to downsize his airline's Boeing 777X order a few times.
Excluding this supposed variant swap, the count would set at 115 aircraft, including 35 777-8s
and 80 777-9s. The airline has also ordered Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s as a likely backup.
At this time of this video’s production, neither Boeing nor Emirates have responded with comment or
confirmation of an order adjustment. If we suppose that it’s true, then the Emirates order would have
shifted to 19 777-8s and 96 777-9s. In hindsight, the reduced range of the 777-9 is unlikely
to deter Emirates, given its expected quicker timeline than the frozen 777-8 passenger variant.
While Boeing has been taking direct criticism from customers like Emirates
and indirect pessimism with delayed delivery timelines from others, the company booked
a significant new 777X order this year. In February, Air India booked 10 777-9s.
This made the indian flag carrier 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.
While ten is not the biggest order by any margin, it is an important vote of
confidence in a highly delayed program. Indeed, the market is primed for a new
widebody to take the place of the 747 and replace the aging 777 classic variants.
The project also took another step forward last year when Boeing unveiled the 777X freighter.
This has garnered interest from the likes of Qatar Airways, Cargolux, Ethiopian Airlines, and more.
At the end of May 2023, Reuters reported that, Cathay Pacific is poised to announce a modest
order for six new Boeing 777-8 Freighters. The order, estimated at around $2 billion,
will be earmarked to partially renew the airlines aging 747 freighter fleet. At
the time of making this video, however, these rumors have yet to materialize.
Indeed, the airline neither confirmed nor denied their intentions when speaking with media, saying:
"We continue to invest in and grow our fleet with the addition of new,
state-of-the-art and fuel-efficient aircraft. We
have no specific updates or announcements to make at this time regarding the fleet."
While the 777X freighter was a response to the Airbus A350F, it will be a while before we see
the 777XF take to the skies, since Boeing’s priority is getting the passenger 777-9 into
service. The 777X freighter, on the other hand, is set to be built on the frame of the 777-8.
For now, the 777X project has its work cut out for itself
with airlines eagerly waiting for their new jets to arrive.
What do you think of the state of the 777X program at the moment?
And what do you think of the CEO losing his multi-million dollar bonus due to
delays? Could it be a positive sign that the company chief is unwilling to cut corners
and rush progress for his personal profit? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment!
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