Boeing has temporarily stopped flight tests of its 777X aircraft after discovering damage in one of the jets’ structures.
The damage to the part, which is located between the engine and the aircraft structure, was found during routine maintenance of the 777X. Boeing has grounded all four 777Xs and its entire test fleet of 777-9 aircraft following the discovery.
It is not currently clear whether the grounding will impact certification and delivery of the new widebody jetliners, which is currently scheduled for late 2025.
“During scheduled maintenance, we identified a component that did not perform as designed. Our team is replacing the part and capturing any learnings from the component and will resume flight testing when ready,” Boeing said in a statement on August 19, 2024.
The manufacturer said it has already informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and customers about the damage and test delays.
Boeing currently has 481 777X aircraft orders, according to the company website.
The 777X fleet
The 777X is Boeing’s latest series of the long-range, widebody, twin-engine aircraft and the newest version of the 777 family. The 777X has two variants: the 777-8 and the 777-9.
The first test of the 777-9X was carried out in January 2020. While the aircraft was initially expected to enter service in 2020, this is already five years behind schedule.
While the aircraft was initially expected to enter service in 2020, the program has been plagued by a series of technical issues.
The maiden flight was slated to take place in March 2019 but was delayed over issues with the General Electric GE9X engine. In September 2019, a door of the 777X static test airplane blew out and exploded outwards during final load testing. Entry into service was eventually delayed to 2025.
Boeing began certification flight trials of the 777-9 in July 2024. The first flight was conducted on July 12, 2024, after the manufacturer received Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) from the FAA.