November 19, 2013

Boeing’s 777X stands out with folding wings, impressive fuel efficiency

by Gareth Mankoo

The Boeing 777 series of aircraft are absolutely novel in the roles they fulfill, both, inside the chassis and outside. The company announced three new aircraft, namely the 777X, 777-8X and the 777-9X; the 777X being the show-stopper at the 2013 Dubai Airshow. It features folding wing-tips to increase wingspan and fuel efficiency while making itself more accessible to majority airports. The company stated that the 777X will be the largest and most efficient twin-engine jet in the world! “The airplane will build on the market-leading 777 and will provide superior operating economics,” proclaimed Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “The airplane will be 12 percent more fuel efficient than any competing airplane.” The complete wingspan of the 777X is 233 feet (71 meters).

So far, the company has already received 342 orders for the 777X. As for the 777-9X, the company said that it will have a range of more than 8,200 nautical miles (15,185 km) and the lowest operating cost per seat of any commercial airplane, whilst the 8X will offer a range of more than 9,300 nautical miles (17,220 km). The production of these airliners is expected to begin by 2017. Deliveries will follow by 2020.