EVERETT: Boeing´s new long-haul 777X airliner made its first flightSaturday, a major step forward for the company whose broader prospectsremain clouded by the 737 MAX crisis.
The plane took off from a rain-slicked runway a few minutes after 10:00 amlocal time (1800 GMT), at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, home toBoeing´s manufacturing site in the northwestern United States.
Weather conditions had already twice delayed the inaugural takeoff of theplane, which sports blue and white company colors and is emblazoned withthe Boeing name.
High winds led to its postponement on Friday, and the company blamedweather for an earlier delay on Thursday, which was rainy.
The 777X originally was due to take to the skies for the first time inmid-2019, but was postponed due to problems with the new engine,manufactured by General Electric, and difficulties with the wings andsoftware.
If the test flights go well, Boeing will officially file for approval fromthe Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As Boeing faces a crisis over its top-selling 737 MAX following two deadlycrashes, the 777X is supposed to compete in the market for long-haulaircraft with the A350 made by rival European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.
Some 340 orders of the 777X have been made mainly from seven majorairlines, including Emirates, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlinesand Qatar Airways.
The first deliveries of the new model, which can carry 384 to 426passengers, are not expected before early 2021, instead of mid-2020 asinitially planned.
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The aircraft encountered significant problems during pressurization testsin September.
Boeing´s position in this segment has been weakened by the lack of firmorders from China for its 787 “Dreamliner,” which is expected to seeproduction cuts.
US air safety regulators could clear the Boeing 737 MAX to return toservice before mid-year, a person close to the process said Friday.
The plane has been grounded since March following two deadly crashes, inEthiopia and Indonesia. On Tuesday, Boeing announced that it did not expectto win regulatory approval until mid-2020.
Boeing suspended production on the MAX this month but Chief Executive DavidCalhoun said this week the company plans to begin ramping up 737 MAXproduction ahead of winning regulatory approval to resume service on theplane.
Calhoun began as CEO earlier in January. He has highlighted restoringBoeing´s reputation with regulators, customers and other stakeholders as animperative as he tries to the turn the company around. -APP/AFP
