On Saturday, Boeing completed a successful flight of the world’s largest twin-engine jetliner.
The success is a small piece of redemption for the plane maker which has been bogged down by crisis over the last year. The Boeing 737 MAX remains grounded and in the backdrop of the first run for the new 777X. As the 777X landed, you could see rows of 737 MAX aircraft standing idle in the background.
The 777X is a larger version of the 777 mini-turbo. The plane made a historic landing at the Boeing field near Seattle at 2 PM on Saturday after debuting just four hours earlier. The flight took place on a fairly clear day with a gap in the clouds. This successful test run came after two cancellations over high winds. Now, months of testing will be undertaken before the new jet can carry passengers on passenger airlines. “It made all of our employees proud one more time of who we are and what we get to do, by flying a brand new airplane that is going to change the world one more time,” said Stan Deal, Chief Executive of Boeing’s commercial airplane unit.
The new 777X features folding wingtips that make it possible for its carbon wings to fit in the same parking bays as previous models. It also features what are now the world’s largest commercial engines.
