Boeing workers celebrate as the 777X returns to its hangar after its first test flight Terray Sylvester/ReutersThe world’s longest airliner, the Boeing 777X, has taken off on its maiden flight, bringing hope for the beleaguered plane maker despite doubts about its future. The jet is 77 metres (252 feet) long and has been seven years in the making. It took off from Paine field near Boeing’s Seattle home and circled over Washington state for four hours in the first tests of the biggest airliner ever powered by only two engines. The fuel-efficient successor to the venerable 747 jumbo jet, it is due to enter service late next year offering a fresh start for Boeing after a year months of turmoil following two crashes involving the flawed 737 Max, its smallest airliner. The Boeing 777X takes off on its inaugural flight Mike Siegel/The Seattle Times/Associated PressThe new GE engines on the 777-X are the biggest…

Source: The Times January 26, 2020 12:06 UTC