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Showing posts from November, 2019

777X - The White Elephant in the room

Let’s not make any bones about it, Boeing has had a rough 2019, and their year from hell just seems to be getting worse. The 777X, successor to the much exalted 777-300/200 series is facing roadblock after roadblock. The legendary GE90 powered the older generation of the 777 series while the GE 9X will power the 777X. The GE9X will be the largest turbofan engine ever built, by far. Issues have cropped up with the engine’s durability due to high exhaust temperatures. Certification is turning into a nightmare for GE, in turn affecting Boeing. Most recently, one of their cargo doors exploded outwards during the final phases of load testing. In this test, the wings are made to flex much much more than it would ever flex during a routine commercial flight. While the plane withstood all the forces and depressurisation, the cargo door gave way in the last minute, thus putting another spoke in the wheel. While this is not a very major issue, it is definitely a setback for Boeing and will lea