folding wings, redesign cabin and the largest engine in the world

We do not usually think about the plane when we buy a ticket. We think of the destination, in the budget, at the time of departure. But in a few years, something could make you stop a second more in the model that appears next to the flight number. Because that journey could be done aboard the new Boeing 777x (In one of its variants, 777-8 or 777-9), an aircraft designed to mark the future of the long radio: more efficient for airlines, more comfortable for those who travel.

777x does not arrive at any time. Boeing develops it with a very clear objective: reinforce its position in a strategic segment that for years dominated without discussion. The result is not a break with the past, but an evolution calculated on one of its greatest successes. With this new generation of 777The company seeks to respond to a growing demand for efficiency, scope and capacity without giving up what was already working.

BOEING 777X Technical Card

The 777x design is not only new: it responds to a very clear idea of efficiency and scale

From a distance, 777x seems familiar. Its silhouette remembers that of other wide fuselage aircraft. But just approach to notice the differences. The wings, longer than usual, They curve with elegance until ending in folded tips that attract attention even before takeoff. The huge engines dominate the side view of the plane.

The 777x wings are not only the longest that Boeing has ever mounted on a commercial plane. They are also the most innovative. They are manufactured in composite material, such as those of the 787 Dreamlinerand extend until they exceed 71 meters of size. To avoid airport problems, its ends fold when the plane is on land. It is a subtle gesture, but that hides one of the most complex decisions of design: how to gain efficiency without limiting your access to shipping doors.

It is impossible to look at 777x without looking at its engines. The GE9X They are not just The largest that have been installed in a commercial plane: They are also among the most efficient. With a fan of 3.4 meters in diameter and carbon fiber blades, each one concentrates more than a decade of technological development. The result is an engine that consumes 10% less than the GE90-115Breduce noise and meet the limits of emissions established for your class.

One of the great promises of 777x is inside. Although the fuselage maintains the same exterior width as its predecessors, Boeing has redesigned the internal structure To gain useful space. The ceiling is higher, the smoother lighting and the sensibly lower background noise. The humidity of the environment has also been improved and cabin altitude has been reduced, two factors that are not seen but that can make a difference in flights of many hours.

The change is not limited to what passengers see. In the command cabin, the 777X introduces for the first time in commercial aviation Integrated touch screensa system that replaces part of physical controls Traditional by a cleaner and more flexible interface. The environment remembers that of 787 and maintains many similarities with that of 777, which facilitates the transition for crews.

None of this has happened quickly. When Boeing presented 777x in 2013the first installment was scheduled for 2020. Years later, that horizon is still not materialized. Flight tests continue, certification processes have hardened And the first deliveries are not expected before 2026, with increasingly narrow margins. For Boeing, this is not a simple project: it is an opportunity that cannot afford to be missing.

While the legendary American company hurries the deadlines of 777x, Airbus gains ground in the world. In China, for example, is about to close a massive order. According to SCMP, it could be up to 500 airplanes. And we are talking about largest aviation market in the world. In that context, as we say, 777x is not just a new plane: it is a strategic bet with which Boeing is playing part of his future.

Images | Boeing (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) | Palacio do Planalto/Alan Santos (CC by 2.0) | Lamblukas (1, 2, 3, 4)

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