SEATTLE- The United States-based Aerospace giant Boeing has made modifications to the technical specifications of the 777X-8 aircraft, resulting in its elongation.
This adjustment has led to an increase in both the aircraft’s passenger capacity and range.
Boeing 777X New Change
Presently, on Boeing’s product page for the 777X aircraft family, encompassing the 777X-8 and 777X-9 models, it is indicated that the 777X-8 accommodates 395 passengers in a standard two-class arrangement, capable of flying up to 8,745 nautical miles (16,190 kilometers).
The aircraft’s length measures 232 feet and 6 inches (70.86 meters), reports Aero Time.
When comparing the two, the larger 777X-9 can accommodate around 426 passengers in a two-class setup, covering distances of up to 7,285 nautical miles (13,500 kilometers). Notably, it boasts a nearly 20-foot increase in length compared to the 777X-8, measuring approximately 251 feet 9 inches (76.72 meters).
Previously, the same page indicated that the 777X-8 typically seated 384 passengers, had a range of up to 8,730 NM (16,170 km), and measured 229 feet (69.79 meters) in length.
Reviewing data extracted from the Wayback Machine, it becomes evident that as of May 28, 2023, the 777X’s product page continued to display the previous configuration.
However, by June 2, 2023, there had been alterations made to the specifications of the 777X-8, with the exception of the aircraft’s length. This length adjustment was enacted by Boeing at some point in January 2023, as corroborated by archives from the Wayback Machine.
As of December 31, 2022, the length provided for the smaller 777X aircraft remained listed as 229 feet (69.79 meters).
Max Kingsley-Jones, a Senior Consultant at Cirium, initially detected this alteration.
Difficult to Sell
Nonetheless, Boeing has encountered challenges in selling the passenger variant of the 777X-8. Out of the total commitments of 383, only 24 have been made for the 777X-8 model.
Notably, Emirates (EK) has placed an order for 16 of these aircraft, while another UAE-based carrier, Etihad Airways, has committed to eight units of the same type, as per data from ch-aviation.com.
However, developments in June 2023 brought some shifts. In that month, Emirates placed an order for 16 additional 777X aircraft, as indicated in Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries filings.
This move sparked speculation that the airline had possibly expanded its order to include the 777X-9 variant. Overall, Boeing’s order data by June 30, 2023, indicated a total of 318 firm orders for the 777X.
Delivery Delays
During the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting in June 2023, Emirates President Tim Clark expressed his annoyance over Boeing’s delay in introducing the aircraft to Aviation Week.
The introduction was now set to occur after the 777X-8F, which is the freighter version of the 777X-8. Despite the delays, Clark still acknowledged the 777X-8 as a “very good aircraft.”
Responding to inquiries from Air Insight, an Emirates spokesperson provided a statement indicating the airline’s commitment to 115 aircraft of this type. However, the statement did not detail the allocation between the 777X-8 and 777X-9 models.
Should Emirates have altered its order configuration, this would imply that merely eight orders for the passenger variant 777X-8 are left in the order book.
Conversely, there are 55 orders for the 777X-8F, which is the freighter version of the 777X-8, along with 304 orders for the 777X-9.
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