Boeing is preparing to fly a production version of its long-delayed 777X jet for the first time in April, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing an internal company document. The flight marks a key step toward certification and first delivery planned for next year.
The planemaker has begun fuel system checks on a 777X aircraft built for Lufthansa at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, where the widebody jet is assembled. Engine testing is expected to follow later this month, the document said. A Reuters reporter saw the aircraft at one of Boeing’s (BA) fuel docks on Tuesday.
The 777X program has absorbed about $15 billion in charges and is running roughly six years behind its original schedule. While Boeing’s (BA) 777X flight-test fleet has accumulated more flight hours than any prior Boeing (BA) program, the aircraft has yet to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Among the remaining requirements is testing that uses a production aircraft configured as if it were ready for customer delivery.
Lufthansa placed its order for the 777-9 variant in 2013, the year Boeing (BA) launched the 777X program, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
The 777X is designed to succeed both the 747 and the earlier 777 and to complement the smaller 787 Dreamliner in Boeing’s (BA) long-haul lineup. Boeing (BA) once dominated the widebody market, but competition has intensified in recent years from European rival Airbus (EADSF) (EADSY).
Last week, Boeing (BA) CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company was reviewing a potential new issue involving engines supplied by GE Aerospace (GE). He added that the matter is not expected to alter Boeing’s (BA) current plan to begin delivering the 777X in 2027.