When in operation, the 777X will not only be the newest of the Boeing family, but the largest twinjet every built. But will it be able to save the company? Or will it succumb to its rival, the already proven aircraft, the A350.
By combining the technical and luxurious aspects from the 777 and 787 Dreamliner, Boeing hope to emulate their success in this new plane which promises a 10% reduction in fuel consumption. In turn, this makes it an encouraging investment for airlines that look to cut costs whilst renewing their fleet into greener aircraft. So what has caused these improvements?
Improvements in Efficiency
With the installation of their new generation of engines, the GE9X promises monstrous thrust capabilities with its 10:1 by-pass ratio. The by-pass ratio of an engine is a marker of its efficiency and describes the ratio of air being accelerated by the fan compared to the air entering the combustion chamber, driving the fan and compressor. With this large by-pass ratio, the engine has a larger diameter than the body of a 737 plane, meaning you can comfortably sit a few people in its intake. This new engine also has 6 less blades than its predecessor allowing for reduction in noise generation whilst decreasing drag1.
On top of the advancements in efficiency, the GE9X produces half regulatory requirements of the emissions like particulates, CO and NOx. This reduces the effects of greenhouse gases of these secondary products of combustion, which was discussed in an earlier issue, if interested click here.
Another improvement in performances comes from the extended wings. The main limitation of wing size is due to space considerations at airports. Airports want to be able to accommodate as many planes as possible and therefore have fixed sizes with most airports only being able to accommodate up to category E aircraft. Any larger it would be considered as category F like the A380, which many airports cannot accept2.
However, Boeing have managed to get around this issue whilst creating wings that have a larger span than a 747. By folding the wing tips when on the ground the aircraft is able to have a comparable wingspan to the original 777 and the A350 spanning 64.85m. However, when on the runway it can lower its wing tips and provide and extra 7m (71.75m) in span allowing for extra lift3.
Comparing the Rivals
How will the introduction of the 777X compare to the current medium to long haul aircraft like the 787 Dreamliner and more importantly the A350. Here we need to compare a couple of parameters namely, range, payload capabilities, passenger, cost and burn rate.
Range & Fuel Consumption
Even though the 777X has promising engines, the structural weight of the A350 sets it apart with having an extra 1415 Nautical Miles (2600km) and consuming 7kg of less fuel per nautical mile.
Payload
The maximum take-off weight for the 777X and A350 is 351 tonnes and 315 tonnes tonnes respectively, however, due to the lightweight airframe of the A350 it is capable of carrying 16 extra tonnes of cargo and fuel.
Passengers
With the 777X being larger its standard model can fit 384 passengers compared to the A350’s 369 passengers. However with the larger models is where the A350 wins, having a max passenger count off 480 compared to Boeing’s 426.
777X is the larger of the two. Regarding passenger capacity, the A350 can seat between 315 and 369 passengers in a typical two-class configuration. The maximum capacity for the two variants, the -900 and the -1000, is 440 and 480, respectively. Boeing advertises the 777X as seating up to 384 on the 777-8 and 426 on the 777-9 in a two-class configuration.
Although the amount of seats may lean in Boeing’s favour for its standard model, the A350 has favourable characteristics for longer haul flights. When it comes down to what airlines would prefer, it would come down to their preference regarding the capacity on their routes. However there are two aspects which can still come into play.
Cost
The first, in Airbus’ favour is the cost. Aircraft aren’t cheap to begin with but with Boeing’s $410 million price tag compared to Airbus’ $317 million, airlines will be able to get 5 A350s compared to 4 777X whilst saving $55 million4.
Environmental Regulations
Whilst the 777X may be more expensive, but with the aviation industry moving towards greener initiatives, airlines might be looking for aircraft that produce emissions lower than the regulations as they may shift to more strict allowances. Here is where the American company wins as it is 50% lower than the regulations, whilst the European aircraft manufacturer is only 23% lower for NOX emissions5.
Taking Off Soon?
Currently, the 777X is due to have its first delivery at the start of 2025 after numerous delays due to internal problems at Boeing regarding the 737 Max incidents. However, it is still undergoing rigorous certification by the FAA, which can take a while, especially with the recent events regarding their safety culture within the management of the company. With 481 aircraft already ordered, Boeing hopes that this will be their new flagship carrier that restores the worlds faith in the company after a shaky last few years. Ultimately, time will tell whether this plane is a success, but given its improvements in efficiency and its passenger capacity and range, it would be no surprise to see this aircraft being their most popular yet.
Would you want to fly on the 777X when it arrives to the market?
Let me know in the comments below.
Till next week,
Maxime
GE9X Engines - GE Aerospace
https://www.geaerospace.com/commercial/aircraft-engines/ge9x
Boeing 777X Folding Wingtips - Simple Flying
https://simpleflying.com/boeing-777x-folding-wingtips-why/
Boeing 777X Technical Specs - Boeing
https://www.boeing.com/commercial/777x#technical-specs
777X vs A350 - Simple Flying
https://simpleflying.com/777x-vs-a350/
A350 Clean Sheet, Clean Start - Airbus
https://aircraft.airbus.com/en/aircraft/a350-clean-sheet-clean-start/a350-less-weight-less-fuel-more-sustainable