A Boeing 777X aircraft performs during an air show on the opening day of the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, UK, Monday, July 18, 2022.
Jason Alden | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Boeing Emirates said on Monday it had temporarily halted flight tests of its 777X jet after finding structural damage to one of the wide-body aircraft.
The company said it discovered the damage to the dedicated section, which it said was between the engine and the fuselage, during scheduled maintenance. It has since grounded the other three 777-9s from its test fleet. Boeing said no further flight tests were scheduled for the other aircraft.
“Our team is replacing the part, capturing any learnings from the component and will resume flight testing when ready,” Boeing said in a statement. It said it has notified the Federal Aviation Administration and its customers, who have ordered 481 777X airplanes, according to Boeing’s website.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the grounding and the problem would affect the certification and delivery of the new wide-body jet, which is scheduled to launch in 2025, about five years behind schedule. Boeing began flight tests of the plane with the Federal Aviation Administration in July, a major milestone.
News, I mentioned Earlier reported by The Air Current, it comes as Boeing leaders, including new CEO Kelly Ortberg, are trying to move the company beyond a safety crisis that began with a door plug explosion earlier this year.
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