Source: BoeingBoeing has confirmed a temporary halt to flight testing of its entire 777-9 fleet after a defective engine structural component was discovered.
On August 19, The Air Current reported that Boeing discovered a “severed thrust connection” on the WH003 test aircraft after the plane completed a flight from Hawaii.
This component is unique to the 777-9 and connects the engine to the aircraft structure. Each of the aircraft’s two GE Aerospace GE9X turbofans has two of these components, providing system redundancy in the event of one component failure.
“During a scheduled maintenance check, we discovered a component that was not performing as designed. Our team is replacing the part, gathering all of the knowledge about the component and will resume flight testing when ready,” Boeing said.
The 777-9 program has faced numerous delays in recent years, primarily due to design changes and increased regulatory scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The recent engine component failure is another setback for Boeing, which had hoped to put the aircraft into service next year. While the exact impact of this delay on the 777-9’s certification schedule is still unclear, it will likely delay the aircraft’s entry into service. Both Boeing and the FAA are currently investigating the cause of the component failure and reviewing the necessary corrective actions.
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