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The glorious history of the best plane Boeing has ever builthttps://www.businessinsider.in/the-glorious-history-of-the-best-plane-boeing-has-ever-built/with-more-than-two-decades-of-service-under-its-belt-the-777-is-getting-ready-for-a-major-makeover-in-2019-boeing-will-introduce-the-next-generation-777x-as-expected-half-of-the-777x-pre-orders-have-come-from-the-dubais-emirates-/slidelist/59195269.cms2017-06-18T13:17:20+05:30

The glorious history of the best plane Boeing has ever built

Jun 18, 2017, 13:17 IST

With more than two decades of service under its belt, the 777 is getting ready for a major makeover, In 2019, Boeing will introduce the next generation 777X. As expected, half of the 777X pre-orders have come from the Dubai's Emirates.

In fact, Emirates has accounted for 15% of all 777s ever sold.

Over the next two decades, Emirates would become a global aviation powerhouse. In the process, the airline would operate a fleet of more than 120 777s — the largest in the world.

However, the 777 has no greater customer than Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. In 1996, the Sheikh's small Dubai-based airline received its first 777-200.

... Turkish Airlines.

... Air New Zealand and,...

... Air Canada,...

... Air China,...

... Air France,...

... Etihad,...

... Qatar,...

... Singapore,...

... United,...

.... Delta,...

Today, the Boeing 777 is one of the most popular long-haul airliners in the world. It's in service many of the world's most prominent airlines including American,...

Also known as the WorldLiner, the 200LR can carry 301 passengers nearly 11,000 miles.

In 2006, Boeing introduced ultra-long-range 777-200LR.

In 2002, Boeing rolled out the extended range version of the Dash 300 called the 777-300ER. With more than 800 sold, the 300ER is by far the most popular version of the 777.

In 1998, Boeing's stretched the 777 to create the 550-seat 777-300.

In 1996, Boeing rolled out a more potent version of the 777 with an even greater range called the 777-200IGW. It would later be renamed the 777-200ER for extended range.

... The state-of-the-art Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental could not stop the success of the 777.

Even the record-breaking Airbus A380 superjumbo and the...

Along with the twin-engine Airbus A330, the Boeing 777 has decimated four-engine jumbo jet sales.

The rule change rendered modern three-engine airliners like the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 obsolete overnight. They simply couldn't match the four-engine jumbo jets' people carrying ability. Nor could they match the twin-engine jets' lower cost and increased efficiency.

With the 777, Boeing was able to convince the government to give the plane an ETOPS 180 rating.

In 1985, the Federal Aviation Administration softened its restrictions on the routes twin-engine jets can fly by giving the 767 an ETOPS 120 rating. That allowed the 767 to operate routes up to 120 minutes of single-engine flying time away from the nearest airport. This rule change allowed the 767 to cross the Atlantic: opening up a host of new opportunities for its operators.

At the same, early twin-engine wide-body jets such as the Airbus A300B2 were relegated to medium-haul routes.

.... The Lockheed L-1011 Tristar became en vogue.

As turbofan technology improved, smaller three-engine airliners such as the McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 and ...

... Later the Boeing 747 all had multiple engines. After all, if one engine fails, there are three more to keep the plane in the air.

... Douglas DC-8, and...

Traditionally, the prevailing logic in long haul flying has been that there's safety in the number of engines a plane has. As a result, planes such as the four-engined Boeing 707,...

In June 1995, the 777-200 entered service with United Airlines— marking the start of the plane's game-changing career.

The resulting aircraft could carry 305 to 440 passengers up to 8,270 miles. The Dash 200 could cruise at 615 mph and fly at 37,900 ft.

On June 12, 1994, all of Boeing's hard work came to fruition with the first flight of the Boeing 777-200.

In the back, passengers are treated to a more comfortable and quiet ride with greater in-flight entertainment options.

Premium cabin passengers were treated to lie-flat seating.

The 777-200 featured a state-of-the-art two-person digital cockpit.

Here is one of the 777's signature triple axle main landing gears.

The jet's high bypass turbofan engines built by Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, and GE are the largest engines ever installed on an airliner.

Even though the 777-200 was smaller than the 747, it is still a massive airplane at 209 feet long with a 191-foot wingspan. The airplane weighed 506,000 lbs.

To produce the 777, Boeing selected its Everett, Washington production facility.

Using 3D computer graphics, Boeing was able to digitally pre-assemble the 777, foregoing the need for costly and time-consuming clay models.

From the start, Boeing knew the 777 would be special. It was the first airliner to be designed completely using a computer.

During his eight years in charge of Ford, Mulally successfully guided the company through the dark days of the financial crisis without the need of a government bailout. The former 777 project manager is generally considered the best CEO in Ford history not named Henry Ford.

Leading the 777 program was its general manager Alan Mulally. In 2006, Mulally left Boeing to become the CEO of the Ford Motor Company.

... But smaller than the iconic 747 jumbo jet.

The Boeing 777's journey began in October of 1990 with an order from United Airlines for a twin-engine wide-body airliner larger than Boeing's 767...

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