Boeing has flown the second prototype of its new 777X wide body airliner for the first time.
The test aircraft, known as WH002 (N779XX), took off on its maiden flight from Everett Paine Field under the controls of Capt. Ted Grady, 777X project pilot, and Capt. Van Chaney, 777/777X chief pilot. It flew for 2 hours and 58 minutes over Washington state before landing at Seattle’s Boeing Field at 2:02 p.m. Pacific.
This aircraft is the second of four in a dedicated flight test fleet and will test handling characteristics and other aspects of airplane performance. An array of equipment, sensors and monitoring devices throughout the cabin allows the onboard team to document and evaluate the airplane’s response to test conditions in real time.
The first test aircraft, WH001, flew for the first time on January 25 after several weather-related delays.
Customers for the 777X include British Airways and Emirates.
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