Boeing 777X Certification Moves To Third Of Five Stages

Boeing is quietly moving in the right direction toward certification of the 777X, weeks after a further launch delay.

A report by the reputable trade publication The Air Current, citing two people familiar with the matter, said that late last week, approval was obtained for the third of five major phases of test flights for the 777-9.

In what is broadly considered the most strenuous phase, the green light from the Federal Aviation Administration means that Boeing will continue inching toward formal certification, which will allow first deliveries to commence.

This reporting follows comments indicating that Boeing had been granted Type Inspection Authorisation (TIA) Phase 2D, allowing it to move into Phase 3 as work progressed in the certification phase.

Latest On The Boeing 777X

It has been a busy period for the Boeing 777X, highlighted by confirmation of a recent launch delay for the aircraft series.

Kelly Ortbeg, over recent months, expressed that there was still a mountain to climb in the certification process, and the planemaker had ultimately fallen behind in its work to achieve it and meet deadlines.

With this in mind, doubts were cast on the program’s status as 2026 approached and on whether a delivery would be facilitated during this period.

As 2026 creeps ever closer, Boeing confirmed, for the second year running, a further delay in the launch of the highly anticipated long-haul aircraft, setting its sights on a 2027 debut instead of 2026.

The delay was then compounded by the planemaker’s Q3 earnings report, which signified a major, but also expected, charge taken out of the program, amounting to USD 4.9 billion and adding to the already extensive charges taken in the program’s life.

Boeing confirmed that the latest costs are a direct consequence of repeated delays to the product and the associated penalties, resulting from airlines missing delivery windows.

The American manufacturer remains hopeful that, with progress continuing to be made, albeit slower than would’ve been liked in the 777X’s certification, a 2027 launch will be within reach.

Emirates Reacts To Delays

However, for a program that will be nearly eight years delayed for some customers once it enters service, the reaction has been mixed; some choosing to remain quiet, others more vocal about their frustrations.

Among the largest customers for the jet is Dubai-based Emirates, whose President, Sir Tim Clark, has always taken a more outspoken view on industry obstacles, offering a more inside look into the airline’s thoughts.

Clark has always been outspoken about the 777X, which, while a great aircraft on paper, has repeatedly failed to launch and caused the business significant pain. It was therefore no surprise that upon the confirmed latest delay through 2027, the first thought was, What is Tim Clark thinking?

Days after the delay confirmation, speaking on the sidelines of the APG World Connect, Clark said he was feeling a bit miffed to learn once more that the 777X would be delayed.

Emirates should’ve, alongside many other customers, already been flying the aircraft, and while delays hurt, Clark’s frustrations turning to anger don’t stem solely from the delay itself, but from the manner in which this unfolded.

The executive said that he had only held meetings with the American planemaker in recent weeks, during which he was given no indication there would be a fresh delay, and that the delay confirmation he was made aware of came only from the media, not the planemaker itself.