Boeing was forced to halt the test campaign for the certification of its Boeing 777X widebody aircraft in August 2024 after an issue was discovered on the plane during a certification flight affecting the wings.

Why Boeing halted the certification test campaign for the Boeing 777X

Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration launched the test flight campaign of the 777X in the second half of 2024. Before that, the fleet of four Boeing 777X aircraft was being used to test and perfect technology internally so that Boeing could take the plane to the regulator for certification.

The issue was first spotted on Boeing’s experimental aircraft WH003, registered N779XY, after a test flight in Hawaii. A post-flight airframe inspection discovered damage in a part of the aerostructure used to connect the engine to the wings and transfer the thrust to the airframe. These components were not built by GE, which manufactures the GE9X Turbofan engine for the 777X. The issue was first reported by The Air Current, which mentioned that engineers noticed cracks in a primary pylon structural component that mounts the plane’s new General Electric GE9X Turbofan engines to the wings.

Following the discovery, Boeing ordered additional checks of all its test 777X aircraft and discovered similar issues on two other planes. Test flights were suspended, and the entire fleet was grounded pending an investigation.

While this setback delayed Boeing’s plans to bring the 777X to certification and commence delivery, it underscores the importance of the testing campaign. This process is designed to identify and address issues before the aircraft is considered airworthy and certified, a crucial safety measure that the OEM, regulators, and customers value.

Boeing has won over 500 orders for the 777X, including orders from customers including Lufthansa, Emirates, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Air India, Singapore Airlines, and Korean Air. No U.S. airline has ordered one.

Boeing resumes certification test campaign for the Boeing 777X.

Boeing resumed testing for the 777X jet on January 16, 2025, making it the first flight since the company grounded the test fleet in August 2024, as explained above. The same plane, which was in Hawaii when the problem was discovered, made a return flight from Boeing Field in Seattle to Moses Lake, Washington.

Bottomline

Boeing has resumed the test campaign for the Boeing 777X, which was conducted for certification purposes with the FAA right now. The OEM had discovered structural issues with some parts that connect the airframe and the engine and resumed testing five months later. The aircraft’s entry into service has already been postponed to 2026 from 2025.

What do you think of the new Boeing 777-9 certification delays?

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