The folding wing tips on Boeing's massive new 777X are a first in commercial aviation. Here's why the plane needs them.
Boeing's new flagship 777X aircraft is the first commercial plane with folding wing tips.
Airport-gate space concerns ignited the need for the new wing-tip folding mechanism.
Eight airlines have ordered the jet so far, such as Emirates and Lufthansa, but none is US-based.
Boeing's latest addition to its growing fleet of commercial jets is the innovative 777X, which made its global debut at the Dubai Air Show in August.
The high-performing plane, which has been in production since 2013, combines the passenger capacity of Boeing's jumbo 747 and the efficiency of its 787 Dreamliner.
Source: Insider
The company has created two variants of its new flagship jet, the 777-8 and the 777-9, capable of carrying up to 384 and 426 passengers, respectively.
Source: Boeing
When complete, the 777X, which is a successor to the 777, is set to be the world's largest twin-engine passenger jet.
Source: Insider
While there has been a lot of hype around the plane's launch, engine issues and caution over the plane's flight-control system stalled production.
Source: Airline Ratings
Mike Fleming, a Boeing vice president, told reporters at the Dubai Airshow that the 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 prompted the US Federal Aviation Administration to tell Boeing to take a closer look at its 777X systems.
Source: Airline Ratings
"The accidents caused us to reflect on development programs and what we do, and we're taking those lessons learned on the Max and extending those onto the next development programs," Fleming said.
Source: Airline Ratings
Since the aircraft's first flight in January 2020, it has racked up over 1,700 hours across more than 600 test flights. By the time it enters service, which is slated for 2023, the jet will be the most rigorously tested plane in the company's history.
Source: Airline Ratings
One of the most distinctive features of the 777X's design is its innovative folding wingtips, a first in commercial aviation.
Source: The Points Guy
The never-before-seen technology has several advantages. First and foremost, the idea to create folding wingtips stemmed from airport gate space limitations.
Source: The Points Guy
The 777X boasts an impressive 235 feet and five-inch wingspan. However, the mammoth length stretches too wide for most airport gates.
Source: The Points Guy
To combat the issue, Boeing created the folding mechanism that reduces the wingspan to 212 feet and nine inches — the length of the 777's wings. This allows the 777X to fit into gates capable of fitting the current 777 models.
Source: The Points Guy
With the technology, the airplane will not be limited to which airports it can operate out of, an issue that many operators of the Airbus A380 faced after the superjumbo's debut in 2007.
Source: Simple Flying
While Boeing could have simply kept the wings the same length as the 777, the extended wingspan improves the plane's performance.
Source: Simple Flying
The 777X's wings are about 23 feet longer than the 777, allowing the jet to generate more lift. According to Boeing, this increases efficiency by reducing fuel burn by about 10%.
Source: Simple Flying
Though some may think widening the wingspan would create a heavier plane, Boeing has used a lightweight composite material for the 777X's wings, meaning the longer wings do not increase the jet's weight.
Source: Simple Flying
The composite materials are also beneficial because they allow the wings to flex and bend during flight, which lowers the risk of damage.
Source: Simple Flying
The highly-anticipated 777X is set to launch in 2023 and already has orders from eight airlines, including All Nippon Airways…
Source: Boeing
British Airways…
Source: Boeing
Cathay Pacific…
Source: Boeing
Emirates…
Source: Boeing
Etihad Airways…
Source: Boeing
Lufthansa…
Source: Boeing
Qatar Airways…
And Singapore Airlines.
The largest operator of the jet and the launch customer is set to be Emirates, which placed an order for 150 777Xs at the 2013 Dubai Air Show. Since then, Emirates has revised its order to 126.
Source: Reuters
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