Event Was Delayed Following 737 MAX Accident In Ethiopia

Boeing has given employees a look at its newest airliner, the 777X. The first fully-assembled was revealed in a ceremony at its wide-body manufacturing plant in Everett, WA on Thursday.

Boeing had initially planned the event for Wednesday, but delayed it out of respect for the loss of a 737 MAX 8 airplane in Ethiopia on Sunday. The event was also more subdued than initially planned, according to a report from CNN.

The 777X will be the world's longest airliner at 252 feet, according to Boeing. It is designed to carry between 400 and 425 passengers in two classes, and fly routes up to 7,600 nautical miles. The first flight of the 777-9 is currently planned later this spring. It is expected to enter revenue service in 2020.

Boeing will fly the 777-9 before its smaller variant, the 777-8. The shorter version will seat between 350 and 375 passengers on routes up to 8,700 nautical miles. It's long legs will make it a challenger to the Airbus A350ULR for the longest-range commercial airplane.

Boeing currently has 358 orders from eight airlines for the 777X. Dubai-based Emirates is the launch customer for the 777-9.

The most significant modification to the 777X is its carbon fiber composite wing. The wingspan of the 777X is over 235 feet, and to allow airlines to operate at airports that currently serve the current variants of the 777 with a 213-foot wingspan, Boeing designed a mechanism that allows the wingtips to fold up, allowing it to use current gates at airports.

(CGI image provided by Boeing)

FMI: Source report