First Boeing 777X rolls out of Boeing Everett plant for static testing only

Boeing rolled out the first 777X-9 on Saturday evening. The aircraft will only be used for static testing for strength durability for nearly a year and will never take to the air.

A second airframe is in production and will be used for flight testing once it is completed in 2019.

Boeing test lead Doreen Bingo said the sole purpose of the static aircraft is to test structure strength. The aircraft does not feature a nose cone, engines, horizontal or vertical stabilizer, or avionics systems, nor does it feature a folding wingtip.

The 777X was announced in 2013 at the Dubai Airshow and has since received 263 orders from ANA, Cathay, Etihad, Lufthansa, Qatar, Singapore, and launch customer Emirates.

The new widebody aircraft will have a max range of 8,700 nautical miles and seat around 400 passengers. The interior will feature a wider cabin with 33 percent larger windows than the current competition, according to Boeing, which also stated that in combination with the new GE9X engines and composite wings, the 777X will be 12 percent more fuel efficient than its competition.