Boeing has scrapped one of its first 777-9 prototypes, registration WH007, after the aircraft spent six years in a partially assembled state at Paine Field. The widebody, built in 2019, never flew and was dismantled in summer 2025. The company has taken a $15 billion charge related to the entire 777X program.
The decision to scrap WH007 was driven by the high cost of bringing the prototype up to the final certified configuration. Boeing confirmed that it abandoned completion of the partially built 777-9, absorbing the expense into the program’s massive writedown.
– We decided not to finish this particular aircraft because adapting it to the latest standards would not have been economically justified – said a Boeing spokesperson.
The cost of delays
The 777X program has faced repeated setbacks since its first flight in January 2020. Boeing began serial production before receiving type certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a strategy meant to speed deliveries. Instead, it led to a backlog of around 40 partially built 777X aircraft that now require costly modifications.
– The total impairment linked to the 777X program already exceeds $15 billion, which reflects the scale of the technical and regulatory challenges – said John Porter, an aviation industry analyst.
Each of those 40 aircraft will need to be retrofitted to meet updated certification requirements, a process expected to take several years.
A troubled program
The 777X is Boeing’s next-generation long-haul widebody, designed to replace the 777 family. It features new GE9X engines, composite wings with folding wingtips, and fuel-saving technologies. However, the design has been modified multiple times since the prototype’s maiden flight in January 2020 due to evolving FAA safety rules, issues revealed during testing, and feedback from airline customers.
The WH007 example illustrates how far behind schedule the project remains. The aircraft was stored without engines and key systems, essentially frozen in time as the program evolved around it.
What lies ahead
Boeing now expects the 777X to enter commercial service in 2027, years later than originally planned. The company must complete rework on the existing airframes and secure final certification. The scrapping of WH007 is a stark reminder of the engineering and financial hurdles still to overcome.
– Every delay pushes the break-even point further into the future, and the cost of rework keeps climbing – added Porter.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock
