I toured an experimental Boeing 777X aircraft, which the planemaker is using to certify the new $442 million widebody. See inside.

Taylor RainsMar 14, 2024, 22:30 IST

I toured an experimental Boeing 777X in January to see how engineers conduct tests and analyze flight data.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Boeing's newest widebody aircraft, the 777X, is the world's largest twin-engine plane in production.
The jet is expected to enter service in 2025, though the timeline is years behind schedule.

Every year, Boeing shows off its fleet of passenger jets at annual airshows in cities across Europe and Asia.

While the planemaker did not take any planes to the recent Singapore Airshow amid the fallout from the Alaska Airlines 737 Max incident, its experimental 777X did make an appearance at the Wings Airshow in India in January.

Boeing's new aircraft will be the biggest twin-engine widebody airliner in the world once it hits the market in 2025, sporting innovations, it says, like 10% better fuel efficiency compared to its predecessor and unique folding wingtips.

The 777-9 is the larger of two passenger variants, the second being the smaller — but longer-ranged — 777-8. Boeing also plans to build a freighter option.

Despite ambitious planes, the planmaker has faced a number of hurdles during the 777X's certification, pushing the original certification timeline back several years. Still, about a dozen airlines have so far collectively placed some 450 orders for the jet since its unveiling in 2013, according to Boeing.

On display next to its Airbus A350 rival, media were invited inside the giant Boeing 777-9 test jet to get a closer look at the certification and production process. Take a look.

The $442 million Boeing 777X is the world's largest commercial plane in production.

Boeing 777X parked at Paine Field in Everett, Washington.AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

With a competitive size and range, the 777X has been designed as a replacement for the Boeing 747 and the old Boeing 777 model.

The Boeing 777X on display at the Wings Airshow in India in January 2024.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The 777-9, in particular, can carry up to 426 people in a two-class configuration and fly about 8,400 miles miles nonstop.

The Boeing 777X family has three variants: the 777-8, the 777-9, and the 777F freighter.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Its long-haul capabilities are thanks to two powerful General Electric GE9X engines exclusively built for the 777X.

The author standing next to the giant GE9X engine at the airshow in India.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The engine is 10% more fuel efficient then its GE90 predecessor, which was developed for the classic 777 models.

The GE9X's first test flight on a Boeing 747 in 2018.General Electric

Complementing its next-generation engines is the Boeing 777X’s revolutionary folding wingtip — a first for commercial aviation.

The folding wingtip on the Boeing 777X test jet.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The airplane has a longer wingspan to generate more lift, reducing its fuel burn by 10%. However, this means its full wingspan can’t fit into current 777 gates.

Air New Zealand Boeing 777 (left) at the gate at LAX.Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock

To avoid costly infrastructure changes, Boeing engineered the folding mechanism to ensure its new 777X could use the same airport spots as current 777 models.

The folding mechanism addresses the issue of airport gate space.Taylor Rains/Insider

The wingtips are safe thanks to redundancies built into the plane, Boeing told BI at the airshow.

The cockpit of Flight Test 1.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

With all of the new technology, these operational capabilities need to be tested, which is done using Boeing’s fleet of four experimental 777X planes.

Boeing 777X airplane on display at the Paris Airshow in June 2023.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

On display in India was Flight Test 1, which has so far flown over 1,300 hours across more than 550 flights.

Flight Test 1 at the airshow during a helicopter flying display.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Equipped with engineering stations and special testing equipment, the experimental 777X’s interior is a unique experience.

Inside the Boeing 777X cabin.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Boeing engineers sit in an area called “The Pit” in the middle of the plane, which monitors different parts of the aircraft, like weight, instrumentation, and engines.

An engineer told the BI the padded seats are comfortable and come with a five-point harness and cupholders.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Boeing engineers sit in an area called “The Pit” in the middle of the plane, which monitors different parts of the aircraft, like weight, instrumentation, and engines.

The flights can last between three to eight hours, but test conditions dictate the schedule and length.

The 777X airplane flying over England at the Farnborough Airshow in 2022.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

The yards and yards of orange instrumentation wiring inside the plane are only for testing and will not be on the final product.

Panels of computer systems litter the cabin of the 777X.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Other items specifically used for testing include the giant black barrels in the front and back of the jet, which control weight and balance.

Water barrels allow engineers to control the aircraft's center of gravity during test flights.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Meanwhile, Boeing highlights the difference between the 777X and the A350 windows via

The size difference between the 777X and A350 windows.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Additional tests evaluate things like heavy ice on the wing and how well the jet can recover from an out-of-control spin.

Inside the 777X testbed.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

There is also some non-test-related equipment, like the few rows of passenger seats that engineers use when traveling.

There are rows of passenger seats used to transport engineers.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

However, he said the passenger seats installed are just for sitting — the TV screens are disconnected.

The seatback screens do not work.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

While the experimental 777X doesn't have a passenger mockup inside, Boeing had a digital display set up to show its cabin design.

The Boeing 777X is designed for 10-abreast rows in economy.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

According to Wynhof, the "A" option creates a sense of height, and "B" creates a sense of width.

The ceiling in economy cabins would arch down, as shown in the pictured mockup.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Meanwhile, Boeing has also created a unique lighting system to portray different scenes, like a sunset and even the Northern Lights.

The Northern Lights color scene is shown in the mockup. The speckles are meant to resemble stars.Taylor Rains/Business Insider

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I toured an experimental Boeing 777X aircraft, which the planemaker is using to certify the new $442 million widebody. See inside.

The $442 million Boeing 777X is the world's largest commercial plane in production.

With a competitive size and range, the 777X has been designed as a replacement for the Boeing 747 and the old Boeing 777 model.

The 777-9, in particular, can carry up to 426 people in a two-class configuration and fly about 8,400 miles miles nonstop.

Its long-haul capabilities are thanks to two powerful General Electric GE9X engines exclusively built for the 777X.

The engine is 10% more fuel efficient then its GE90 predecessor, which was developed for the classic 777 models.

Complementing its next-generation engines is the Boeing 777X’s revolutionary folding wingtip — a first for commercial aviation.

The airplane has a longer wingspan to generate more lift, reducing its fuel burn by 10%. However, this means its full wingspan can’t fit into current 777 gates.

To avoid costly infrastructure changes, Boeing engineered the folding mechanism to ensure its new 777X could use the same airport spots as current 777 models.

The wingtips are safe thanks to redundancies built into the plane, Boeing told BI at the airshow.

With all of the new technology, these operational capabilities need to be tested, which is done using Boeing’s fleet of four experimental 777X planes.

On display in India was Flight Test 1, which has so far flown over 1,300 hours across more than 550 flights.

Equipped with engineering stations and special testing equipment, the experimental 777X’s interior is a unique experience.

Boeing engineers sit in an area called “The Pit” in the middle of the plane, which monitors different parts of the aircraft, like weight, instrumentation, and engines.

The flights can last between three to eight hours, but test conditions dictate the schedule and length.

The yards and yards of orange instrumentation wiring inside the plane are only for testing and will not be on the final product.

Other items specifically used for testing include the giant black barrels in the front and back of the jet, which control weight and balance.

Meanwhile, Boeing highlights the difference between the 777X and the A350 windows via

Additional tests evaluate things like heavy ice on the wing and how well the jet can recover from an out-of-control spin.

There is also some non-test-related equipment, like the few rows of passenger seats that engineers use when traveling.

However, he said the passenger seats installed are just for sitting — the TV screens are disconnected.

While the experimental 777X doesn't have a passenger mockup inside, Boeing had a digital display set up to show its cabin design.

According to Wynhof, the "A" option creates a sense of height, and "B" creates a sense of width.

Meanwhile, Boeing has also created a unique lighting system to portray different scenes, like a sunset and even the Northern Lights.