Boeing has scheduled the 777X’s maiden sortie for 23 January, an event that will finally kick off the revamped widebody’s delayed flight-test programme and potentially keep the airframer on track to begin deliveries in early 2021. Under the manufacturer’s current schedule, the 777-9 test aircraft should depart at around 10:00 Seattle time on the 23rd, although Boeing cautions that the timing “could change due to weather and other factors”. Getting the flight-test programme underway will mark a major milestone for Boeing, which has been hammered by a series of major issues, the most prominent being the 737 Max’s grounding. But the 777X programme has been beset by delays, and analysts have raised concerns about how quickly the US Federal Aviation Administration, under extreme pressure to prevent a repeat of the 737 Max’s certification issues, will approve the new big twin. Boeing launched development of the 777X, which has new GE Aviation GE9X powerplants, composite wings and folding wing-tips, at the Dubai air show in 2013. The two-aircraft family comprises the 426-seat 777-9 and the longer-range, 384-seat 777-8. Boeing initially planned to complete first flight of the 777-9 in 2019 and to begin deliveries in 2020. But an issue with the 105,000lb-thrust (467kN) GE9X powerplants stymied Boeing’s plan. GE disclosed the issue, which involved stator vanes at the front of the engine’s high-pressure compressor, at the Paris air show last year. A “durability issue” with those vanes, which pivot on a bearing to keep the engine running at peak performance, was causing hotter-than-expected exhaust gas temperatures, resulting in unexpected component degradation, according to GE. The engine maker recalled four GE9X powerplants from Boeing in 2019, forcing the airframer to delay first flight. GE says it has now fixed the issue. Also in 2019, Boeing announced it had shelved 777-8 development until a later, undisclosed date. The company has struggled to land significant numbers of 777X sales, with firm orders standing at 309 aircraft, according to Boeing data. Industry analysts attribute the modest sales partly to the current phase of airlines’ fleet replacement cycles, noting that many airlines have recently completed widebody purchases. However, the consensus view is that 777X orders will increase by the middle of the decade.

Source: Cirium

Boeing now expects the US Federal Aviation Administration will certificate the 737 Max in the middle of 2020, marking another delay to the aircraft’s flight approval, which some industry observers had expected would come early this year.
“We are informing our customers and suppliers that we are currently estimating that the un-grounding of the 737 Max will begin during mid-2020,” Boeing says in a 21 January statement. “This estimate is informed by our experience to date with the certification process.” Until December 2019, Boeing had estimated regulators would clear the jet to fly before year end. But in December, FAA administrator Steve Dickson quashed Boeing’s plan when he said too much work remained unfinished for a 2019 sign off. Since then, Boeing has shied from providing a timeline. Some industry observers estimated certification would come early in 2020, perhaps in February, with a rolling reintroduction of the Max into passenger service. Now, the FAA’s sign off appears likely to come several months later. Boeing’s latest projection “accounts for the rigorous scrutiny that regulatory authorities are rightly applying at every step of their review of the 737 Max’s flight control system, and the Joint Operations Evaluation Board process, which determines pilot training requirements,” the Chicago-based company says. The Joint Operations Evaluation Board consists of pilots from multiple 737 Max operators and has been tasked with evaluating proper training for 737 Max pilots. The board’s work remains incomplete. When done, the FAA’s Flight Standardisation Board will use the findings to develop pilot training recommendations. Those recommendations will then be subject to a public review. The FAA says it has “set no timeframe for when the work will be completed”. “The agency is following a thorough, deliberate process to verify that all proposed modifications to the Boeing 737 Max meet the highest certification standards,” the FAA says. “We continue to work with other safety regulators to review Boeing’s work as the company conducts the required safety assessments and addresses all issues that arise during testing.” Boeing’s announcement of a mid-year certification follows reports last week that regulators, during a final review, found problems with software that, during start-up, monitors the performance of various aircraft systems. Experts have called that issue a relatively minor problem that should not significantly delay certification. “Returning the Max safely to service is our number one priority, and we are confident that will happen,” Boeing says. “We acknowledge and regret the continued difficulties that the grounding.”

Source: Cirium

South African Airways is maintaining operations for the time being, despite apparent increasing uncertainty over the ailing flag carrier's financing. The airline says it is "aware" of local media reports suggesting it is on the verge of ceasing operations. But it insists that flights to all destinations "continue as normal". Johannesburg airport's arrivals and departure information shows SAA services operating. It acknowledges that the network might be subject to "amendments" to the flight schedule. But SAA says it is "committed" to communicating "transparently" with its various stakeholders – including its customers – over the airline's situation, particularly regarding significant operational changes. SAA, which is undergoing a business rescue process, had been due to receive R2 billion ($137 million) in funding from the South African government as well as a further R2 billion from lenders. But the status of this funding programme is unclear. Local media reports indicate that intense discussions have taken place over 18-19 January with respect to the carrier's funding. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa insists that a capable nation must have state-owned companies which fulfil mandates "effectively". Ramaphosa says companies that "require continual bailouts – such as SAA – diminish the capacity of the state". "That is why a major focus of our work this year is to restore our [state-owned enterprises] to health," he says, in a statement on 20 January. "We will do this by appointing experienced and qualified boards and managers. We will be clarifying their mandates, and give them scope to execute those mandates."

Source: Cirium