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Boeing grounds 777X test fleet after a new parts failure report

The US FAA said Boeing had informed it of its discovery of a damaged component following a 777-9 flight test last week

by Gulf Business with Reuters

August 21, 2024

Image credit: Sourced from Boeing

Boeing is grounding its 777X test fleet after an inspection showed the failure of a key engine mounting structure, according to a report by the Air Current on Monday.

Boeing said Monday it had halted test flights on its 777-9 that is awaiting certification after a component between the engine and airplane structure was identified as failing to perform during a maintenance check.

The FAA said Boeing had informed it of its discovery of a damaged component following a 777-9 flight test last week.

Boeing in July began certification flight testing of its long-delayed 777-9 with FAA regulators onboard after receiving Type Inspection Authorisation.

Boeing added “no near-term flight tests were planned on the other flight test airplanes” and said the part is custom to the 777-9.

Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners to face additional inspection

Furthermore, the US Federal Aviation Administration said, on Monday, it would require inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners following an incident in March when a LATAM Airlines plane went into a sudden mid-air dive that injured more than 50 passengers.

The FAA said the apparent reason for the dive was the uncommanded movement of the captain’s seat, which caused the auto-pilot to disconnect. The agency said it had received a total of five reports of similar problems with the captain and first officer seats on 787s, the most recent in June, and two remain under investigation.

The FAA’s airworthiness directive impacts 158 US-registered airplanes and 737 airplanes worldwide and requires airlines to inspect the captain’s and first officer’s seats on 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes for missing or cracked rocker switch caps or for cracked switch cover assemblies within 30 days.

Airlines must perform any necessary corrective actions if issues are found.

The FAA said uncommanded horizontal movement of an occupied seat could result in a rapid descent of the airplane and serious injury to passengers and crew.

Boeing and LATAM Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Orders piling up for Boeing 777X

Boeing’s 777X, touted as the “world’s largest and most efficient twin-engine jet,” was originally slated to enter service in 2020, with expectations of delivering several hundred aircraft by now. However, the programme has faced significant delays and cost overruns, preventing the aircraft from entering commercial service despite a backlog of over 500 orders from airlines worldwide.

*Boeing 777X range capability. Image credit: Sourced from Boeing*

Recently, Qatar Airways made headlines by placing a substantial order for 20 Boeing 777X aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow, adding to its existing order of 40 Boeing 777-9s. This brings Qatar Airways’ total order to 94 Boeing 777X aircraft, including both commercial and cargo variants.

Emirates, the largest customer of the 777X, has expressed frustration over the ongoing delays in the programme.

The Dubai-based airline signed a deal for 55 additional Boeing 777-9s and 35 Boeing 777-8s at the Dubai Airshow in November 2023, pushing its total order to 205 jets. Despite the delays, which have pushed the aircraft’s entry into service back by approximately five years, Boeing has reassured Emirates that the issues will be resolved.

The first 777-9 from Emirates’ order of 115 aircraft is now expected to join its fleet in 2025.

Boeing’s struggles with the 777X have been part of a broader decline, with the company losing $33bn since 2019—a stark contrast to its once sterling reputation for American manufacturing excellence. The company’s stock (BA) fell 2 per cent in premarket trading on Tuesday, marking a nearly 30 per cent drop for the year.

Read: Boeing names industry veteran Kelly Ortberg as CEO