Further problems for Boeing: 777X flight tests suspended after part failure

Boeing has suspended flight testing of its new 777X widebody aircraft after a defect was discovered in a part that connects the engine to the plane's fuselage, the latest in a long line of quality control problems at the crisis-hit US aerospace giant.

“During a scheduled maintenance, we discovered a component that was not functioning as intended,” said the US aviation giant AFP in a statement.

“Our team is replacing the part and gathering all knowledge about the component and will resume flight testing when ready,” it said, confirming an earlier report by the specialist website “The Air Current”.

Boeing has been plagued by safety and quality control concerns in recent years, and a near-catastrophic incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX in January put the company under renewed pressure.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, 64, took over earlier this month with a promise to restore confidence in the struggling manufacturer. He announced he would be based in Seattle to be close to the company's commercial aircraft programs.

Boeing's 777X widebody aircraft program, introduced in November 2013, is the latest addition to the popular 777 family.

The new twin-engine aircraft is set to be the largest twin-engine jet model in the world. More than 500 777X aircraft have already been ordered, but are not yet in commercial service.

The part that led to the interruption of flight testing was specifically tailored to the 777-9 model and connects the engine to the aircraft structure, Boeing explained.

All other 777-9s used for the tests are currently being inspected following the incident, it said.

Boeing's new aircraft will be available in three models: 777-8, 777-9 and 777-8 Cargo.

The aircraft was originally scheduled to enter service in 2020, but due to problems during the certification process it has now been postponed to 2025.

Although the 777X has still not received approval from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing reached an important milestone in July of this year.

After numerous test flights, the company received permission to begin testing the 777-9 with FAA representatives on board.

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Boeing named veteran aerospace executive Kelly Ortberg as its new CEO. On the same day, the company reported a second-quarter loss of $1.4 billion. Profits were hurt by the weak performance of its commercial division.

But since then, the company has enjoyed some rare positive news; orders for new aircraft began to increase again in July.

Boeing announced that it had received 72 orders at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, including 57 for its flagship 737 MAX.

And a few days later, Boeing announced that El AL had placed orders for up to 31 737 MAX aircraft, making it the largest aircraft purchase in the Israeli airline's 76-year history.

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