Exciting news coming from the Boeing Co. aircraft factory north of Seattle. Engineers are moving forward with building the world's biggest twin-engine jetliner. They're calling it the 777-9X, it will be the first aircraft of the 777X family. For air travelers and aviation enthusiasts, there's a lot to be excited about. For one thing, the wing is so big they had to fold it.
Specifically, the 777-9X will have hinges on its wingtips. The hinges will fold up, allowing the plane to shorten its wingspan when it's rolling across airport taxiways. Boeing says this will be the first design of its kind on any commercial airliner. The plane will have the widest wingspan of any aircraft in the company's 99-year history: 235 feet, 5 inches. Don't worry locking pins will prevent them from folding during flight.
Prototype testing is expected to get underway soon, Boeing says. During testing, engineers plan to fine-tune and try to perfect the final design. These giant wings will give the airliner extra lift, like a giant glider. This design will help the plane save an overall 12% more fuel than the Airbus A350, Boeing says.
These Wings Are Baked
Another neat fact about the wings is that Boeing plans to bake portions of the 777-9X in a sort of kitchen. It's a huge, 1.3 million-square-foot facility under construction near the company's longstanding factory in Everett, Washington. Inside, Boeing plans to use three giant autoclaves to pressure-bake the 777X wings at temperatures up to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After the wings are baked, they'll be moved to Boeing's nearby plant for final assembly.
Bigger Windows - Wider Cabins
Like the wings, the plane's cabin is also big. The 777-9X will seat at least 400 passengers. That's 34 more than the 777-9X's competitor -- the Airbus A350-1000 -- which holds 366 in a typical three-class configuration. The 777-9X cabin will be 16 inches wider than the A350-1000, allowing economy-class seat widths up to 18 inches. Typical airline seat widths range from 17 to 18.5 inches.
Like the window seat?
The 777-9X's windows will be 15% larger than competing airliners. The windows will be placed at a height that will be eye level for most passengers. Boeing is hinting about other passenger goodies on the 777X, such as new lighting and "enhanced architecture" for the cabin's interior design. Airlines will have options to configure each passenger class differently. Each class could have unique overhead ceiling and stow bins, for example, that would create the feeling of separate and distinct cabin.
What's Powering This New Plane?
Thrust comes courtesy of two fuel-sipping GE9X jet engines. Amazingly, the engines' fuel nozzle tips will be created via 3-D printing. Although the fuselage will be made of aluminum, the wings will consist of a strong, yet super bendy material that's driving the future of aviation: carbon-fiber reinforced polymer.
This is the same stuff that allowed Boeing's innovative twin-engine 787 Dreamliner to fly farther on less fuel when it first entered service in 2011.
Production of the 777 - 9x is expected to begin in 2017, with the first 777X entering service as soon as 2020.
Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.
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