Boeing has started 777-9 certification flight trials with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The first of such tests took place on July 12, 2024, shortly after the manufacturer received the Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) from the FAA to conduct these flights.
The Type Inspection Authorization (TIA) is issued by the FAA after completing the examination of technical data and it is a necessary requirement for Boeing to start the 777-9 certification process, the last step in this aircraft type’s protracted development process.
The start of the certification process was first reported by aerospace news site The Air Current and later confirmed by Boeing, which posted footage of this flight on its Linkedin page showing the test aircraft taking off from its Paine Field facility near Seattle, Washington.
Although the 777-9 first flight test took place in early 2020, the program has been subject to repeated delays and it seems unlikely that the aircraft will enter service anytime before Q1 2025.
Some of Boeing’s major customers have been quite vocal in expressing their displeasure with this situation. One of them, Emirates, is preparing for the possibility that the aircraft’s first deliveries are delayed up to 2026 and has even asked Boeing to pay part of the cost of keeping their existing B777 fleets up to date.