Boeing's Largest Airliner Takes To The Skies

The world’s largest airliner, the new Boeing 777-9X took its maiden flight last month in Paine Field, Washington. This mammoth—WH-001—is the company’s newest flagship and is designed to carry up to 425 passengers. The twin-engine aircraft can fly on 7,600-nautical-mile routes, enough to cover most long-haul flights.

This variant of the Boeing 777 is the longest commercial aircraft ever built and stretches over 250 feet. Needless to say, this airliner is the largest, strongest and longest in various categories of commercial aircrafts. With a wingspan of over 230 feet—each wing is the largest composite structure in the world, according to news reports—the wings have 11-feet-long folding tips to fit some gates and runways. Understandably, the 777-9X is also fitted with the most powerful engines on a commercial airline ever: General Electric’s GE9X.

The projected date for the airliner to enter service is in late 2021, with Lufthansa, Emirates, Etihad, Qatar, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and ANA currently on their list of customers. The aircrafts go for $440 million a pop at list price.

On the maiden flight were 777X’s chief test pilot Van Chaney, and Boeing’s VP Flight operations and chief test pilot Craig Bomben as co-pilot. This flight came after severe delays due to unfavourable weather conditions and was cut short from the original four hours of flying time.