Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Boeing 777X

2021 MODERN AIRCRAFT FUTURE FLIGHT

The history of the Boeing 777X

The original Boeing 777 wide-body airliner was launched in 1995 (in partnership with United Airlines) and has been a commercial success for the company, with more than 1,320 examples completed and operating worldwide to date. Building on this established and successful framework, Boeing will introduce a follow-up design to the family, the advanced "777X," which Boeing calls "the world's most efficient twin-engine jet." The model also uses the experience and qualities of the newer 787 "Dreamliner" family.

The 777X continues the refined lines established by the 777 and 787, with its rounded fuselage, upturned main wing and single-blade tail. The cockpit is located close to the nose cone, providing excellent visibility for the two crew members in the cockpit. A fairly large diameter engine nacelle is mounted under each wing. The wing itself uses lightweight but strong composite materials in its structure, providing a good balance between function and efficiency.

The Dreamliner-style cabin features large picture windows along the sides of the fuselage, evident in the dual-aisle cabin.

The engine of choice for the new product is the GE Aviation GE9X turbofan engine developed specifically for the 777X some of the largest propulsion systems ever installed on a twin-engine airliner.

One of the most interesting design qualities of the 777X is its wingtips, which are designed to fold up when you're running on the ground. This gives the longer wingspan configuration its inherent self-shortening properties, allowing the new aircraft to operate despite the increased wingspan when flying at any existing major airport.

When unfolded, the wings have a span of 235.4 feet, and when folded, the span is reduced to 212.7 feet, allowing access to any standard gate area.

Currently (2015) the 777X is intended to be represented in two different model forms, the 777-8X (standard product) and the 777-9X (extended fuselage and three-class passenger configuration). The former has an inherent range of 8,700 nautical miles and seats 350 to 375 passengers, while the latter has a shorter range of 7,600 nautical miles and seats 400 to 425 people.

The quoted unit prices are $371 million and $400 million, respectively.

Service rollout for the 777X is planned for 2020 as development is underway at the time of writing (2015). Confirmed orders for the 777-8X total 53, while orders for the 777-9X have reached 243, out of a total of 306, from operators in Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The 777-8X competes directly with the French Airbus A350-100 product (described in detail elsewhere on this website). According to Boeing representatives, the 777-9X should not have a real industry match yet.