This week, I was reading a bit about the Boeing 777X which is going to be the latest, largest, and most efficient wide-body, twin-engine jet in the (iconic) Boeing 777 family. The 777X is currently going through the certification process, persevering to overcome the recent hurdles and setbacks, and looking for introduction into service in 2027. 

The 777X program, despite facing delays, already has significant orders, with Emirates being the largest customer (270 jets as of Nov 2025) and other airlines like Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa also holding large orders, totaling over 500 for both passenger and freighter versions. Recent significant activity includes a major 65-jet order from, one of the most demanding and discerning (long-haul) operators, Emirates, at the Dubai Airshow 2025, held this past month in November.  

Lufthansa is the confirmed launch customer for the Boeing 777X (specifically the 777-9 variant) and is slated to receive the first delivery. Note that, through the decades, Lufthansa never acquired any Boeing 777, primarily due to its large fleet of (and dependency on) the A330/A340 family. So, the 777X will be first ever deployment of a 777 by this respected major global operator. I was among the first passengers to travel on the Boeing 747-8...🙂..., when Lufthansa had introduced the type, and I also hope to be among the first passengers when it will introduce the 777-9, hopefully, in a year or so; (Chicago-Frankfurt) being one of the key long-haul routes in which Lufthansa prefers to introduce its flagship (and new) long-haul aircraft.

Today, I found a minimal rendition of the 777X (the 777-8 variant, shown below) in the Marketplace, and, out of natural curiosity for this airplane, I wished to fly it here. Reading about an airplane is one thing, but actually flying it in our virtual world, even if the rendition is imperfect (or even freeware), I have always found rewarding. For example, long before the Boeing 787, my namesake aircraft...🙂..., flew in RW, and also long before a decent model of it flew in our virtual world with QW (what a long wait, that was...some of us would surely recall...🙂...), I was already flying it in the SIM, thanks to the many (talented) freeware model creators of our hobby. These 787 renditions were far from perfect, but nonetheless they not only gave me the first (tangible) impressions about how this airplane looks but also made me wonder about what it stands for in terms of innovation and novelty in the world of aviation. Likewise, long before the Airbus A350 flew in RW, and long (long) before a decent model of it finally flew in our (MSFS) virtual world with iniBuilds...🙂..., I was already flying freeware models of the A350, downloaded from the Libraries like Flightsim.com and Avsim.com. 

So, what are the differences between the 777 and 777X? The primary differentiators are:

1. Folding composite wingtips (first implemented and seen on a commercial aircraft)
2. More efficient and exclusive (GE) GE9X engines (just as the RR Trent XWB engines are exclusive to A350)
3. 787 Avionics and technology (see cockpit shots below; the legacy 777, though a trend-setter of its era, is decades behind the avionics and technology of the 787)
4. Greater passenger comfort and cabin ergonomics (etc.)

In this post, I fly the 777X, implicitly accepting all the imperfections of this rendition, long (long) before it might be rendered (properly) for us in the virtual world by the likes of PMDG...🙂... (while I'm not getting any younger, as someone also said about PMDG's MSFS 747 plans...🙂...). This flight is well before the 777X will actually fly in RW, and before I will hopefully get a chance to fly on it myself with Lufthansa...🙂... (Note: No major U.S. passenger airlines, such as AA/UAL/DELTA, have yet ordered the 777X. So, Lufthansa is set to repeat the unique feat of being the first non-U.S. airline to launch a new Boeing Jet, which the airline had already done once before with the 737).

The 777-8 is flying, here, from Turin Airport (LIMF) northward up and over the (fast rising) Alps and then into the picturesque valleys (see images, below), across a short distance of about 150 miles, to Geneva Airport (LSGG)'s ILS Runway 04.

Hope, you enjoy the company of this 777X, as much as I did...overlooking its modelling deficiencies, and pondering a bit, instead, about what this new a/c brings to the world of aviation...and to us, the aviation enthusiasts...

Thanks for viewing...!

Edited December 14, 2025Dec 14 by P_7878

Fine shots, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

5 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine shots, thanks for sharing !

cheers 😉

Thanks, pmplayer, for the comment. I’m glad you liked the pictures of this big one…🙂…

From 787-8 to 747-8 to 777-8…we are moving on here with the times…🙂…and the technologies…

Thanks for posting another great series of screenshots of what will be a great, future aircraft. Nice job on illustrating a nice European flight and a good find for the B777X for the sim! 👍

And you are correct that it will bring some new technology with it such as the FWT design (Folding Wing Tip). That system will be manually operated by the crew on takeoff once clear of any airport obstacles and is ready for departure however there is an automatic mode which will fold the wingtips automatically once a speed of 50kts has been reached upon landing. Its quite interesting reading to read about all the fail-safes that have been put in place by Boeing should one or both of those FWTs not function correctly i.e. what happens if one of those wingtip devices is exposed to a bird strike. Does the sim version you flew have operable FWTs or are they always depicted in the extended position? Just curious.

Also the other new feature that will come to the B777X will be standard HUD installation. Today that is a factory option I believe that Fedex have installed on their cargo aircraft and is the only airline to do so, so the 777X will feature this as standard equipment.

BTW  - technically while Lufthansa is not a 777 operator today, their wholly owned subsidiary Lufthansa Cargo has operated the B777-200LRF (and also their partner airline Aerologic in which they have teamed up with DHL) for quite a few years so their maintenance crews and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) are very familiar with servicing the B777 series of aircraft although it will be the first passenger variant for Lufthansa. Lufthansa Cargo have also ordered the freighter version of the B777x , namely the B777-8F.

One additional technology possibility I see, which I don't believe has been mentioned in the press so far but would not be surprised to see deployed on the LH B777-9 and B777-8F future fleets, could be LHT's AeroSHARK technology which applies a microscopic (50 micron) thin film to the fuselage to help save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions.

All-in-all its going to be an exciting time to see aviation technology further develop.😊

Regards
Mark

Nice tidbits up there...🙂...

 

54 minutes ago, 787flyer said:

BTW  - technically while Lufthansa is not a 777 operator today, their wholly owned subsidiary Lufthansa Cargo has operated the B777-200LRF (and also their partner airline Aerologic in which they have teamed up with DHL) for quite a few years so their maintenance crews and Lufthansa Technik (LHT) are very familiar with servicing the B777 series of aircraft although it will be the first passenger variant for Lufthansa.

Yes, you're absolutely correct, Mark.

It takes an observant and knowledgeable Lufthansa fan to catch such things...🙂...Actually, I forgot to mention above that LH never operated 777 for pax purposes (through the years of my travel, always getting their A330s/A340s; sometimes, deliberately, I'd to switch to AA/UAL to fly in the 777...🙂...).

Recently, I had replicated a (RW) LH 777 Freighter (Chicago-Frankfurt) route for one of my long-haul flights.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for the 777X to complete the rest of the certification process and be able to take to the skies on commercial service.

Regarding this (minimal) 777X model, I did not see folding wings. As far as I can tell, it looks like, the default (Asobo) 787-10 cockpit has been applied to a 777 fuselage...🙂...I would put it in the same category as all the 787 and 350 (freeware) models I'd flown in FSX...you know, the ones with stock (FSX) Boeing and Airbus cockpits aliased to the fuselages...🙂...Still, they served their purpose for this airliner aviation enthusiast...🙂..., until the realistic versions appeared (much) later...

Thanks for chiming in...!

Cheers...!

Edited December 14, 2025Dec 14 by P_7878