777-9 Enters Certification Flight Testing

The FAA has granted Type Inspection Authorization to Boeing for its 777-9 after a shakedown flight with FAA inspectors aboard on Saturday. "This certification test flight validates the aircraft's safety, reliability, and performance. We appreciate our regulator’s rigorous oversight and are grateful to our customers who have chosen the 777-9 for its efficiency, environmental performance, and passenger comfort," Boeing said in a press release.

The plane has been in the air for years with Boeing pilots aboard, accumulating 3,500 hours all over the world. In that time airlines have ordered 480 of the latest and likely last model of the 30-year-old design. It's hoping to begin deliveries next year and the first one is likely going to Emirates, a longtime and enthusiastic operator of the type.