Boeing 777X review

Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing president, was the key speaker at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference 29 May in New York.  He discussed the 777X  programme, and MAX (see separate article in this issue).

The Boeing 777X, with its unique fold-up wing, comes in two variants, the Dash 8 (smaller but longer range) Dash 9 with up to 414 passengers and ordered by British Airways. 

Mr Muilenburg said that in-depth internal and external reviews of aircraft certification processes have not led to changes that will alter Boeing’s 777X programme, while acknowledging that yet-to-be-discovered factors could influence the new widebody’s final stages of development.

“I don’t see anything there right now that would significantly alter the timeline for the 777X.  But it’s possible we could see something that would alter the content of the test programme or how we go about certification.”

Boeing could steal the thunder on Airbus with a first flight during the Paris Air Show (starts Monday 17 June) and says it is on track for the aircraft to enter service in 2020.  Lufthansa is the launch customer ordering 20 777-9 variants to replace their aging fleet.  Emirates, as is their style, have committed for 150 777x variants to replace its massive fleet of earlier 777 aircraft.  The Boeing order book also shows Etihad and Qatar Airways as customers for the new aircraft.

www.boeing.com/commercial/777x

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