Boeing can’t catch a break: just weeks after starting 777-9 certification flights with the FAA, a new problem is grounding its test fleet.
The American aircraft manufacturer is currently using three 777-9s for the type’s certification testing. According to The Air Current, Boeing engineers initially found a problem on one 777-9 during scheduled maintenance.
This issue got more serious when Boeing found a problem with the same part on another 777-9. The first discovery involved an aircraft that had just landed in Hawaii. So, the subsequent grounding of the test fleet means that this jet is stuck there for now.
The problem part is a thrust link. Aircraft engines have two such links each for redundancy in case one of them fails. The 777X aircraft family uses General Electric GE9X engines. But according to The Air Current that broke the story, Boeing makes this part – not GE. Other Boeing aircraft use similar thrust link designs for their engines.
777-9 Engine Mounting Problem – Another Headache for Boeing
Boeing is currently trying to certify three aircraft: the 777-9, the 737 MAX-7 and the MAX-10. Two other versions of the 777X will follow at a later date: the 777-8 and the 777-8F. The certification of the two 737 types remains on hold while Boeing redesigns parts involving the engine cowling and anti-ice system, as we have seen.
The latest 777-9 engine mounting problem arrests some progress that Boeing recently made with its upcoming widebody. Certification flights with FAA pilots started just over a month ago. Previous problems with engines, structural testing failures and aircraft system issues have delayed the certification of the 777X by over five years.
Most analysts now expects the 777-9 to start carrying passengers in 2026. This means that the development of the 777X will take over 13 years from launch to service entry. This is extraordinary for what is theoretically a redesign of an existing aircraft. Incredibly, the original Boeing 777 was launched in October 1990 and entered service in June 1995 – in less than five years!
Source: The Air Current
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