Boeing has put together blueprints for the world's longest-range passenger jet. A revamp of its 777 wide-body jet, the planned aircrafts have the family code name 777X.
As Reuters reports, the 777 was first released in the 1990s. A twin-engine plan, it was capable of flying routes that were previously only possible with four engines.
The 777-300ER, a 365-seat aircraft plane began flying in 2004, is Boeing’s most profitable aircraft.
The 777X will continue competition between Boeing and Airbus for the long haul jet market. The 777-9X will be a 400-seat plane. It is expected to be Boeing 's response to a growing challenge from the largest version of Europe's newest aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000.
And a future version called 777-8X would be a successor to the 777-200LR, which has a range of 9,300 nautical miles (17,200 km) km and currently holds the record as the passenger jet with the longest range.
The 777-8X, boasting a range of 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km), would be designed for long hauls such as from the Middle East to South America.
Ultra-long haul aircrafts still represent a niche market. This is because when modern aircraft fly the longest 15-hour flights, the first few hours are spent mostly burning the fuel needed to carry the extra fuel for the rest of the flight.
As such, Boeing has sold just 59 of its 777-200LR endurance jet, which entered service in 2007. This is much fewer than the 687 units of the 777-300ER aircraft it has sold. The 777-300ER is suitable for shorter range routes.
Image: Times of India