Air International — September 2017

BOEING 777 COMMERCIAL

installed during a routine shop visit. About
1,800 GE90-115B engines can bene t from
the package.”

Link to the 777X

Beazhold noted: “The 777X, even though it’s
a derivative, is substantially different.” The
777-8 and 777-9 will feature new-generation
GE9X engines, an all-composite fourth-
generation wing, aerodynamics and  ightdeck
improvements and a new interior.
Nevertheless, with the current-series Triple
Seven the design baseline for the 777X,
Beazhold emphasised the technology initially
developed for the 777-300ER has contributed
to the new generation. The 777-9 will be 251ft
9in (76.7m) in length, around 7ft (2.1m) longer
than the 777-300ER, which means the issue
of tailstrikes during rotation on take-off and
during  are on landing was a major design
consideration for the 777X.
Beazhold said: “The 777X con guration
tended to want the tailskid back on, so our
 ight scientists and  ight controls team went
about developing a more sophisticated control
law that would perform an electronic, virtual
tailskid. Our starting point was the [tailskid
technology] 777-300ER.”
However, in a repeat of what happened in
the 2009 PIP when 777-300ER technology
was rolled into earlier aircraft, the current-
series Triple Sevens have bene tted from work
under way on newer models too; some of the
improvements in the 2015 PIP were actually
developed for the 777X  rst.
Beazhold explained: “For example, the
divergent trailing edge was technology
our  ight sciences were developing [for
the 777X]. When we started looking at the
higher performance and technology of that
aerodynamic shape it became apparent we
could do something very similar on the 777-
300ER.”
This is indicative of Boeing’s overall
approach to designing and developing
airliners. Beazhold said: “A lot of
[developments] show up on different models
at different times; we’re really looking at how
we continuously improve our whole family.
There’s a lot of cross-development between
the different models.”
Another example of this crossover is the
divergent trailing edge development on the

777-300ER, which provided the basis not just

for the 777 but also for the stretched 787-10

variant of the Dreamliner.

EcoDemonstrator 2018

In June 2017 Boeing announced the 777

Freighter will be the platform used in the

next edition of the company’s ongoing

ecoDemonstrator programme that evaluates

emerging airframe, aerodynamics and systems

technologies.

The tests will take place over a three-month

period in 2018 using a FedEx 777F. They will

involve installing a compact thrust reverser

developed by Boeing to save fuel,  ight deck

improvements to improve ef cient operations

in and out of busy airports, and verifying

parts produced using new manufacturing

techniques designed to reduce material waste.

There have been four previous editions of

the ecoDemonstrator (using a Boeing 737-

800, 787-8, 757-300 and most recently an

Embraer E175). The programme has resulted

in technologies being put into existing or

new aircraft development programmes – for

instance several airframe technologies went

into the 737 MAX and the 787-8 testing moved

forward work on autoland systems – so that

could be the case for the 777 too.

Beazhold commented: “The

ecoDemonstrator is a great validation

and veri cation vehicle for features and

technologies we bring into that aircraft. As we

develop knowledge, we’ll take it back into our

models; if there’s something that provides

[a bene t] we’ll look at it.”

BOEING 777 CURRENT PRODUCTION VARIANTS CHARACTERISTICS

777-200ER 777-200LR 777-300ER777F

Wingspan 199ft 11in (60.9m) 212ft 7in (64.8m) 212ft 7in (64.8m) 212ft 7in (64.8m)

Length 209ft 1in (63.7m) 209ft 1in (63.7m) 242ft 4in (73.9m) 209ft 1in (63.7m)

Height 60ft 9in (18.5m) 61ft 1in (18.6m) 60ft 8in (18.5m) 61ft 1in (18.6m)

Max take-off weight 656,000lb (297,550kg) 766,000lb (347,452kg) 775,000lb

(351,535kg)

766,800lb (347,815kg)

Max landing weight 460,000lb (208,700kg) 492,000lb (223,168kg) 554,000lb

(251,290kg)

575,000lb (260,816kg)

Max zero fuel weight 430,000lb (195,000kg) 461,000lb (209,106kg) 524,000lb

(237,683kg)

547,000lb (248,115kg)

Operating empty weight 304,500lb (138,100kg) 320,000lb (145,150kg) 370,000lb

(167,829kg)

318,300lb (144,379kg)

Max structural payload 125,550lb (56,940kg) 141,000lb (63,957kg) 154,000lb

(69,853kg)

228,700lb (103,737kg)

Total cargo volume 5,330ft^3 (150.9m^3 ) 5,330ft^3 (150.9m^3 ) 7,120ft^3 (201.6m^3 ) 23,051ft^3 (652.7m^3 )

Useable fuel 45,220 US galllons (171,171

litres)

47,890 US gallons

(181,283 litres)

47,890 US gallons

(181,283 litres)

47,890 US gallons

(181,283 litres)

Cruise speed Mach 0.84 Mach 0.84 Mach 0.84 Mach 0.84

Ceiling 41,000ft (10,100m) 41,000ft (10,100m) 41,000ft (10,100m) 41,000ft (10,100m)

Seating Up to 313 passengers two-

class

Up to 317 passengers

two-class

Up to 396

passengers two-

class

n/a

Range 7,065nm (13,080km) 8,555nm (19,840km) 7,370nm

(13,650km)

4,970nm (9,200km)

Engines Two GE90-94Bs, PW4000s or

Rolls-Royce Trent 870s-Trent

895s

Two GE90-110B1s/

GE90-115B1s

Two GE90-115B1s Two GE90-110B1s/

GE90-115B1s

Data: Boeing