Boeing suspends testing of long-haul 777X aircraft

TIL Desk/Business/New York/ Boeing has suspended testing on its new long-haul 777X aircraft, the company said Friday, a setback that comes as it battles to rebound from the crisis surrounding the 737 MAX.

The so-called “final load” tests are part of the aircraft certification process, overseen by inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and meant to subject the plane to “loads and stresses well beyond normal operational loads,” a Boeing spokesman told.

“During final load testing on the 777X static test airplane, the team encountered an issue that required suspension of the test,” the spokesman said. “The testing conditions were well beyond any load expected in commercial service. The event is under review and the team is working to understand root cause.”