Boeing has reportedly fixed a critical issue with its Boeing 777X and hopes to begin deliveries in 2026. Last year the four test aircraft were grounded after cracks were found in the thrust links that transfer the thrust from the engines to the structure of the aircraft. Boeing was able to engineer a temporary fix that allowed flight tests to resume last January and now Aviation Week is reporting a design change has been finalized. The new thrust links will be incorporated into the planes this summer, according to the publication.
The cracks were found on aircraft that had just returned from long legs over water last September and were the latest in a series of delays that have delayed the first delivery dates for the production model about six years. Lufthansa is the launch customer for the new 777, which achieves efficiency with long wings that have to fold up at the tips to fit gates at most airports. It is about 13% more fuel efficient than the earlier model of 777.
Grammar Kop Keith says the correct word is ‘problem’.
‘Issue’ is of Avweb.
Yes, “issue” here is the apologetic PR version, a way to address cracks in a critical load-bearing part without panicking shareholders or regulators or affecting subscribers. In hangar talk? That was no “issue.” That was a damn problem with the part that ties engine thrust to the fuselage.
I’ve been with AVweb since 1998. The comment section used to be a hangar full of sharp minds, crusty insight, and real pilots who didn’t need hand-holding. Some of those voices are gone now, and what’s left feels processed, muted, and boxed in.
The new setup with this off-site Discourse clone might look slick to the tech team, but it amputates the flow. No one sticks around for a half-buried conversation thread that feels like it was designed by people who don’t actually read what we write. And if that’s the goal—less interaction, fewer reader voices—it’s working. This new system is bleeding out engagement fast.
AVweb used to feel like a place for us. Now it feels like we’ve been shuffled into a hold.
Raf
RAF, leaving a commenting feature up and functional serves one single purpose, these days. Clicks & Ad revenue. More drama = more visitors = more clicks = more ad interactions. Opinions are entirely meaningless, both to community and publisher.
JaBa:
Ad revenue and clicks matter, no doubt. That’s good business. But so is the tone and insight of readers who take the time to chime in. A lot of us add something to the editorial and help keep the whole thing alive.
What I was pointing out is the loss of that community. For years, AVweb felt like a hangar full of sharp voices trading real-world experience. Not drama.
A cleaner setup that checks the right boxes might look good on paper. But if it sidelines the voices that built this place, it’s not just about clicks. It’s about losing what made AVweb matter.
Raf
Times have changed. Desired course of AVweb seems to be out if line with the past communication style.
For a few days I’ve been wondering what was going one with AVWeb. An editorial explanation from staff would be nice. I’ve been on here since late '90s.