Boeing 777X: Up close and personal in pictures

The Boeing 777-9 lines up on Runway 24 at Farnborough (Image: UK Aviation Media)
The Boeing 777-9 lines up on Runway 24 at Farnborough (Image: UK Aviation Media)

One of the star attractions of this year’s Farnborough International Airshow is the Boeing 777X, or to give it its proper name, Boeing 777-9 and we got the chance to get on board and check out Boeing’s latest giant for ourselves.

Boeing 777-9
Boeing 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

As soon as you step on board the 777-9 you immediately become very aware that this is a test aircraft, from the signs warning engineers not to discuss their data in certain areas through to the flight test stations and water tanks.

This particular aircraft, which is on both static display and flying the demonstration, is the 1st 777-9 and as such has already accumulated over 11,000 flight hours.

The folding wingtips of the Boeing 777-9
The folding wingtips of the Boeing 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

Externally, the aircraft looks much like legacy Boeing 777s with its widebody and classic lines, but the first thing the eye is drawn to are those wingtips! Largely as when parked, they point straight up because on the ground, they fold up to allow the 777X to taxi and move around at conventional airports that can handle existing 777s despite having a 10m wider wingspan

At 76.2 metres long, the 777-9 is also 2.2 metres longer than the 777-300 (74 metres) making it Boeing’s longest aircraft.

At 76m long, the Boeing 777-9 is longer than the 777-300
At 76.2m long, the Boeing 777-9 is longer than the 777-300 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

The aircraft is powered by two GE9X engines which like their predecessors the GE90 are high-bypass turbofan and produce 110,000 lbf of thrust each. They use 10% less fuel.

The GE9X Engine that powers the 777-9
The GE9X engine that powers the 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

Inside the aircraft, the flight deck is all digital – all glass with the type of wide LCD screens first seen on the Boeing 787. The test aircraft has additional equipment installed but we are told that the layout is pretty much production ready.

The flight deck of the Boeing 777-9
The flight deck of the Boeing 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

The cabin of the 777X is the same external width as the current 777 however thanks to thinner cabin walls and insulation innovations brought from the 787 family, the economy section can now sit 10 46cm wide seats abreast compared to 9 on the legacy 777.

In a two-class configuration the 777-9 can seat up to 426 passengers, with the smaller, but longer range, 777-8 carrying 384. In a three-class configuration, it’s 349.

Flight test engineers station on the Boeing 777-9
Flight test engineers station on the Boeing 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

The flight test aircraft is full of water tanks to simulate load changes and of course flight test stations with very few seats so you really do get a sense of just how big this aircraft is.

Showing how much wider the 777-9 is compared to the A350
Showing how much wider the 777-9 is compared to the A350 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

As mentioned before, this aircraft was also performing the flying demonstration at Farnborough and was the one that brought people flocking to the flight line.

The 777-9 starts its demonstration take-off run
The Boeing 777-9 starts its demonstration take-off run (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

From its near vertical climb out to its dynamic and tight display this pilot performed manoeuvres that seemed impossible in an aircraft of this size. The wingover looked spectacular and certainly seemed to go beyond 90 degrees, we did ask the pilot what the bank angle was but he politely declined to say with a subtle wink…

The steep climbout from take-off of the Boeing 777-9 demonstration
The steep climb out from take-off of the Boeing 777-9 demonstration (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

Upon landing, the 777-9 demonstrated how the wing tips fold automatically and although it looks slick and easy, the mechanics behind are hugely complicated given the importance of ensuring they only fold when they are meant to!

The Boeing 777-9 carries out its signature wingover
The Boeing 777-9 carries out its signature wingover (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

Overall, the Boeing 777-9 didn’t fail to impress and it’s clear to see why airlines, including British Airways, are keen to get it into the fleet. It builds on the impeccable reputation of the existing 777 and is popular with pilots, crew and passengers alike.

Wingtips that fold automatically after landing? That will be the 777-9
Wingtips that fold automatically after landing? That will be the 777-9 (Image: Nick Harding/Max Thrust Digital)

We cant wait to see it fully in service in 2025 with launch customer Lufthansa.

Special thanks to Boeing for the invitation to tour the 777-9

Flight Display Highlights

Technical Specifications Boeing 777-9

  • Length: 251 ft 9 in (76.73 m)
  • Width: 20 ft 4 in (6.20 m) (external)
  • Wingspan: 235 ft 5 in (71.75 m), 212 ft 9 in (64.85 m) folded
  • Engines: 2x GE9X Turbofan
  • Thrust: 110,000 lbf (489 kN)
  • Take-Off Weight: 775,000 lb (351.5 t) Max
  • Range: 7,285 nm / 13,500 km
  • Seats two-class: 414 (42J + 372Y) to 426
  • Seats three-class: 349 (8F + 49J + 292Y)
  • Cargo capacity: 8,131 cu ft (230.2 m3)
  • Max payload: 162,000 lb (73.5 t)
  • Price: $442.2 million (list price)
About Nick Harding 2016 Articles
Nick is the senior reporter and editor at UK Aviation News as well as working freelance elsewhere. He has his finger firmly on the pulse on Aviation, not only in the UK but worldwide. Nick has been asked to speak in a professional capacity on LBC, Heart and other broadcast networks.

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