We are all eagerly waiting to finally see the Boeing 777x in action. Even more as we have had insights of some carriers planning to use the space the plane offers in interesting ways; we’re looking at you Qatar Airways. But looking more at the piece of machinery and less at the client side what is the difference between the Boeing 777-300ER and the new 777x? What makes the 777x better and more efficient than the prior aircraft version?
The Two Main Component Changes of the 777x
Two main structural and core changes have been made to the 777 design that will improve the aircraft’s performances and therefore its efficiency:
So, let’s look at what these updated and improved components will allow the new Boeing 777x to achieve once it enters service.
The New Wings and Their Importance Compared to the Old Design
The game changing difference between the Boeing 777-300ER and the new generation 777x is the wing design. The previous version of the 777, although massively successful among airlines, had one major design issue. Its wings were slightly too small to ensure optimal flight performance. Here’s what I mean by that.
Flying at higher altitudes is more efficient. However, the previous wing design, present on the 777-300ER didn’t ensure the needed lift and performance required to fly at higher altitudes. While the Boeing 787 or the A350 and even the A330ceo can fly above 40,000ft, the prior 777 version can’t. If you fly regularly on this aircraft type, you’ll notice the highest cruise altitudes are around 38,000ft, while on a full load it is more often close to 35,000ft.
The difference in cruise altitude might not seem that large or significant, however if you consider the difference in efficiency and spread it out over a ULR flight it translates to massive savings.
So how did Boeing overcome this issue? The re-designed from the ground up the 777x’s wing. It now has a much bigger span and surface and still fits in the standard airport gates, thanks to its folding wingtips. New materials were used to make the wings stronger and more efficient, such as composite materials.
These new wings with the improved lift they offer also allowed Boeing to make the fuselage wider therefore giving airlines more space for new and improved cabin products.
The 777x New Improved Engines Over the 777-300’s
The new generation 777x planes compared to the prior versions of the 777 will also feature new and improved engines. The 777-300ER used the General Electric GE90 while the 777x family will use the General Electric GE9X engine.
The thrust the engines produce won’t change massively. That will remain almost unchanged. However, what does change drastically is the bypass ratio of the engines. While the GE90 engines had a bypass ratio ranging from 8.4 to 9 the new GE9X have a bypass ratio of 9.9. That in simple terms means that the engine will have a greater efficiency, burning less fuel to operate.