Boeing is falling behind its schedule to certify the 777X aircraft with regulators next year, a delay that could further push back a program already six years late.
Speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference on Thursday, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg confirmed the new widebody jet’s certification is taking longer than expected, though he noted that test flights have not revealed any new technical problems with the jet or its engines.
Still, Ortberg said there is a “mountain of work” remaining to complete the process. He stressed that “even a minor schedule delay on the 777 program has a pretty big financial impact” for the company, which has already lost billions of dollars on the program.
When the 777X was launched in 2013, the first delivery was anticipated for 2020. The company now expects the first jet to be delivered in 2026.
The 777X certification has previously been held up by design and parts quality problems, as well as an “uncommanded pitch event” during a 2020 test flight. The certification process involves a series of grueling trials, and test flights for the new aircraft resumed in 2025.
Recently, the 777X test team completed brake certification tests in Oklahoma that were hampered by severe weather, including hail and thunderstorms.
The trials took 63 days—more than double the original forecast—and required the use of 117 new wheels to subject the aircraft to hard-braking scenarios.
“We test these extremes so that we know where the boundaries are for the airplane, and we make sure that the airplane meets our expectations and the expectations of the regulator,” said Heather Ross, the jet’s project pilot, in a Boeing blog post.
Future testing for the program includes simulating ice formations on the wings and evaluating braking performance on wet runways.
Delays on Delays
The manufacturer’s struggles are not limited to the 777X. It is also facing delays in securing certification for its 737 Max 7 and 737 Max 10 models.
These widespread delays have occurred as the FAA announced plans to modernize aircraft certification standards.
The agency plans to submit proposals by December to streamline the process by reducing the number of exemptions and special conditions required. The FAA stated the goal is to “reduce certification costs and time to certify new and changed products” while maintaining or increasing safety.
