The 777 has been a great success for Boeing and
is the company’s best-selling widebody to date. It was launched in 1994 and is now entering
its third generation with the new 777X. Developed as a clean-sheet design in the 90s, it
was designed to capitalize on the improvements in twin-engine performance. This idea is taken
further as the 777X becomes the largest twin jet aircraft ever to fly. Let’s take an in-depth look
at the story of the Boeing 777 in today’s video! The Boeing 777 came about as a new aircraft to
fill the gap between the 767 and the 747. By the 1980s, Boeing had developed a solid lineup of
aircraft. The Boeing 737 had become the dominant short-haul aircraft, and it offered a variety of
longer-range aircraft - the 757, 767, and the 747. The 747 was the top choice for long-haul routes, with twin-engine aircraft previously limited in
operation. This changed with the introduction of ETOPS rules, with twinjets able to
operate further from a diversion airport. Restrictions were changed in 1985, and the first
ETOPS 120 flight was with a TWA Boeing 767 from Boston to Paris. This allowed for routes
up to 120 minutes from a diversion airport. The change in regulations opened up transatlantic
routes to the 767 (and even the 757). Just as the 747 had changed airline economics
with its high capacity offering, this changed things again with more efficient, lower
operating cost, aircraft serving longer routes. The 767 worked well for lower capacity routes (and
allowed new routes to be launched). But there was a gap in the market now for a twin-engine aircraft
with higher capacity. Airbus took advantage of this with its joint A330 and A340 project. The
A330 was the largest twin-engine yet when it was completed in 1992. It was not long, though,
before the 777 was launched and took over. Boeing originally proposed upgrading the
767 to serve this market. The 767X would offer a stretched fuselage and larger
wings. But airlines rejected this, wanting a wider fuselage and improved operating
costs, leading to a new, clean-sheet design. Boeing launched the 777 project in 1989, with the first aircraft flying in
1994 and entering service in 1995. The 777 was developed in close collaboration
with eight airlines - All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay
Pacific, Delta Air Lines, Japan Airlines, United Airlines, and Qantas. All except
Qantas went on to order the aircraft. This collaboration established the capacity
and other specifications to be used and ideal variations. US airlines, for example, preferred
a shorter fuselage aircraft, while others, including ANA, wanted longer. And British Airways
among others, wanted a longer-range version. These preferences were all
reflected in the initial 777 design. The 777 was Boeing's first aircraft to rely
heavily on computer design during development. While there were some initial mockups, Boeing
later claimed that it was the first aircraft that quote “didn’t need its kinks worked
out on an expensive physical mockup plane.” Construction took place at Boeing's Everett
facility. There was a significant expansion to add two new production lines. All
widebodies before the 787 were built there. It was notable, though, for subcontracting
large amounts of work to other companies, including to international suppliers. This
concept was taken much further later-on with Boeing's next clean-sheet design, the 787.
Parts manufactured were smaller and easier to transport than they would be for the 787
(where entire composite fuselage sections, and the wing, are built overseas), requiring the
use of the Boeing Dreamlifters for transport. For the original 777, construction took
place in several countries. In Japan, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki
Heavy Industries built fuselage panels. Fuji Heavy Industries was tasked with the
aircraft’s center wing section. Over in Australia, Aerospace Technologies of Australia built the
rudder and Hawker de Havilland the elevators. Boeing later acquired both these companies. The first 777 was unveiled in April 1994 and made
its first flight on June 12th. This original 777 (the 777-200) was the smaller of two variants,
designed to meet the needs of US airlines. It entered service with United Airlines and operated
its first commercial flight on June 7th, 1995. Over the next three years, Boeing
launched two more variants. Overall, the three first generation
(or classic) variants are as follows: The 777-200, which was the initial, shorter variant. This entered
service in 1995 with United Airlines. There was the 777-200ER, which
offered increased range (and payload). This entered service with
British Airways in February 1997. The 777-300 featured a stretched fuselage with an additional 10 meters. This entered
service with Cathay Pacific in May 1998. By 1997, 777 orders had risen to 323 aircraft from 25 airlines - it was already well on the
way to being a strong success for Boeing. Boeing always had the intention to increase
the range of the 777. Early proposals looked at shortening the -200 to develop a lower capacity
but higher range variant (similar to what was done for the 747SP). This was dropped,
though, in favor of keeping the capacity. In the late 1990s, Boeing began the development
of these next-generation of 777 aircraft. Of course, they kept commonality with the same
fuselage and cockpit design but also increased the wingspan (by almost four meters). Engines
were also switched to the newly developed GE90 engines. Thus, there was no longer a choice
of engines as with the first generation. The first aircraft to be developed from
this generation was the 777-300ER. This entered service in 2004 and would combine
the size of the 777-300 with the range of the 777-200ER by increasing
the maximum take-off weight. The fuselage and landing gear were also
strengthened. This matched the long-haul needs of many airlines, and the 777-3000ER has
gone on to be the most sold 777 variant.
The 777-300ER was joined by the ultra-long-range
777-200LR in 2006. This kept the length of the 777-200 but used the same improvements
as the -3000ER to allow increased weight. With additional fuel tanks, it
extended the range to almost 16,000 kilometers. It entered service with
Pakistan International Airlines in 2006. It has not been a great success with only
60 aircraft delivered. Its main problem was, in fact, too much range! It
achieved its range through extra fuel - this made it heavy and
expensive to operate on long routes. As part of this second generation, Boeing launched
the 777F freighter model. This took advantage of the upgraded engines and increased MTOW
to carry freight payload. Critically, its maximum payload was only slightly lower
than that of the 747-200F (104 tonnes compared to 110 tonnes), so it made a good choice
for retiring older Boeing freighters. The 777 and 747 together have ensured Boeing
continued dominance in the freighter market. There is a chance for Airbus to challenge
this dominance with its A350 freighter. In terms of orders, the Airbus rival
seems to be off to a good start. The 777 story is far from over, with the 777X
now being tested and due to enter service in the coming years. This will be the largest and
highest capacity twin-engine aircraft to date. The 777X was first proposed in 2011,
with a targeting flying date of 2018, as a larger, more efficient
successor to the 777-300ER. It keeps a lot in common with the previous
777 family members and introduces some key new features. Most importantly, it retains
the same metal fuselage construction. The Boeing 787 (and the A350)
are clean-sheet designs that have introduced composite fuselage construction
to reduce overall weight significantly. The 777X has the same fuselage
but has increased its width by around four inches through thinner
walls and more efficient insulation. If all goes according to plan, there will be
two versions of the 777X: The 777-9 and the smaller 777-8. The 777-9 (the first to launch)
offers a capacity of up to 426 (in a two-class configuration). With a length of 76 meters,
it is the longest commercial jet to date. The smaller 777-8, if or when it gets
built, will offer a capacity of around 384. The smaller 777-8 will compete well against
the A350-1000. But the 777-9 is really in a twin-engine category of its own and takes the
capacity of twins much closer to quadjets, Despite its commonality with earlier 777 types, there is a lot to be excited about with the
777X. It will achieve more efficient operation, but with high capacity and range
with new engines and larger wings. When it coems to New engines, it will
feature the largest and most powerful to date. The new General Electric
GE9X engine features carbon fiber construction and fewer fan blades to
reduce weight despite the larger size. After several delays, the GE9X engines finally
received FAA certification in September 2020. There are also Folding wingtips. The larger wings
on the 777X are critical for its performance and efficiency. But large wings can cause operational
problems at many airports - a problem faced by the A380. The 777X wingtips fold on the ground,
reducing its wingspan by around five meters. This keeps it in a lower aerodrome category
and expands its operating possibilities. There have been several setbacks to the
development of the 777X. There were initial delays due to engine issues and structural
testing. And further delays have been incurred due to the slowdown during the pandemic. Boeing's
original plan was to have it in airline service by 2021 but this continues to change. The
aircraft is currently undergoing test flights. In January 2021, Boeing stated it would
not deliver the first jet until late 2023. In an interview with Simple Flying in April 2021, Emirates’ President Sir Tim
Clark referred to the Boeing 777X program being “in a state of disarray,”
indicating delivery could be as late as 2025. The current estimate - at the time of this video’s
production - sees the aircraft entering service in early 2025. Of course, there’s always a chance
that this could change again in the future! On January 31st, 2022, Boeing announced that it
would be offering a 777X freighter. Last year, it was expected that this variant
would enter service in 2027. Lufthansa and Qatar Airways are the main
customers for this cargo jet thus far. The full story of the 777X could still
change. While only the two passenger variants have so far been confirmed, there is
the possibility of more for the 777 family. A possible further stretch to a 777-10X would
take passenger capacity up to around 450. Nothing has been confirmed by Boeing as
it aims to focus on getting the -9 into service. Such a stretch technically should
not be too difficult, but the decision will undoubtedly depend on airline demand and whether
Airbus revisits the idea of an A350 stretch. With well over 2,200 orders to date, the Boeing
777 has been the most successful widebody. But we are only just seeing the start of its
next generation, with plenty of life left in it. So what do you think of the Boeing 777?
What are some notable flights you’ve taken with this aircraft type? Share your
experiences by leaving a comment down below! simple flying publishes over 150
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