The FAA has privately said that the 777X will not be certified before mid-to late-2023
at the earliest. The news came after the FAA sent Boeing a letter citing several notable
concerns with the plane’s performance during test flights and a host of other changes.
In a letter seen by the Seattle Times, the FAA laid out several concerns with the 777X’s test
flight performance. The civil aviation authority denied permission for the next
step of the certification process, known as the “Type Inspection Authorization”
(TIA). This indicates that Boeing might have to add several more test flights, pushing back the
certification timeline by two years or more. The letter was clear in its view of the 777X,
with a local FAA regulatory manager saying, “The aircraft is not yet ready…The technical data
required for type certification has not reached a point where it appears
the aircraft type design is mature and can be expected to meet the applicable regulations.”
There are several major concerns with the aircraft’s design,
the most important of which we will highlight here.
At the center of the letter is an incident that occurred during a 777X test flight
on December 8th 2020. The aircraft reportedly suffered a quote-unquote
“uncommanded pitch event” during the flight. This occurrence means that the plane either pushed its
nose up or down without pilot commands- a huge red flag for the uncertified plane.
Over six months later, the FAA is still not satisfied that Boeing has understood and corrected
what went wrong with the controls on that day. While the manufacturer has reportedly
investigated the incident and created a major software patch, this is yet to be implemented.
With delays abound, the FAA is unhappy with the sliding timeline for fixing the issue.
Another critical issue highlighted is with the Common Core System (CCS),
which GE says is the “central nervous system and brain” of the plane.
In particular, the FAA says that the CCS has incomplete data and has not completed
preliminary safety checks. Data from suppliers was not adequately peer-reviewed and resulted in
quote-unquote “inconsistencies … and incorrect reuse of 787 data.”
We asked Boeing about this news. A company spokesperson offered the following statement:
“Boeing remains fully focused on safety as our highest priority throughout 777X development.
As we subject the airplane to a comprehensive test program to demonstrate its safety and reliability,
we are working through a rigorous development process to ensure we
meet all applicable requirements. We continue to communicate transparently with the FAA and other
global regulators about 777-9 certification.” With a long way to go before certification,
the first 777X delivery could be well into 2024 as well. Previously, Boeing CEO David
Calhoun has said the expectations for the 777X’s certification is the fourth quarter of 2023.
The prospect of further delays would match expectations from leaders like Emirates CEO
Sir Tim Clark, who said the first plane could take until 2025 to reach the airline.
Until Boeing clears a whole list of issues and has completed a long schedule of test flights,
certification seems far out of reach for now.
What do you think about Boeing’s current issues with the 777X?
When do you think the jet will receive certification? Let us know in the comments!