How is the biggest passenger airplane Boeing 777X tested. Part 4

According to Murrell Boeing invented several schemes which guarantee that wing tips are moved out before take-off. “Without this I will not be able to take-off. Thrust controllers will not come into action but in cabin will sound alarm”, – he said.

Then he explained that entire system mechanically is blocked in the air that is why nothing can be changed during the flight. But when the airplane is landing and slows down approximately to 50 knots, wing tips automatically fold.

In case of go-around flight maneuver wing tips will be unfurled anyway because they fold only when airplane is on the ground and only at certain speed. Murrell has also explained that wing tips “are simple in operation and are operated with the help of common switch change over in the cabin” that is why there will be no difficulties for the crew during transition from 777 to 777X.

As to the crew cabin, according to Murrell’s words, 777X is similar tot 787.

And Flight Test 1 and other 777X work in accordance with their test schedule. For example, one test unit has approximately fully assembled cabin – it is, correspondingly used namely for testing the cabin.

Though 777X is still on the stage of tests, Boeing hopes that first delivery of the airplane will take place in 2025.

However, this term is far beyond the frames of the initial plan that supposed delivery of the first airplane in 2020. Moreover, Boeing has suspended production of 777X minimum till the end of 2023.

This step was made after Federal Aviation Agency of USA declared to Boeing that current plan of certification of the airplanes 737 MAX 10 and 777X “is outdated and doesn’t reflect work progress according to program”.

Boeing declared that delay in production of 777X will cost giant 1.5 billion USD but it is still better than “producing airplanes that we will, probably, have to remake”.

Boeing has delivery contract for 115 units of Boeing 777X with Emirates airline company. And though this is not small quantity but in initial plan of 2013 were 150 airplanes.

Except Emirates Boeing has seven more clients for 777X, for example, Qatar Airways and Hong Kong Cathay Pacific Airways. It is interesting that at the same time no American company placed order for 777X.