The Air Current is reporting that Boeing has suspended certification flight testing of its new flagship 777X airliner after it found problems with the engine attachments in all three test aircraft. The publication said a thrust link that helps secure the engine to its mounting structure was discovered to be broken after a flight from Kona, Hawaii, to Seattle. Cracks in the thrust links on the other two aircraft were also discovered, prompting the grounding of the fleet.
The Air Current said Boeing confirmed the testing pause, saying it “identified a component that did not perform as designed” and that after replacement the company “will resume flight testing when ready.” After a series of manufacturing and quality control issues, the announcement of certification flight testing of the new 777 variant was viewed as a ray of sunshine for the troubled company. It’s not clear how long it will take to fix. Thrust links help distribute loads within the mounting structure of the engine.
