Boeing’s next generation 777X project suffered a setback on Thursday when a door blew off during pressurization tests. There were no injuries in the mishap, which occurred on the static test plane, an aircraft that is shrouded by protective and structural metal superstructure to put massive stress on the airframe, sometimes to the point of breakage. Boeing and the FAA are now figuring out what happened during a test in which the pressure vessel is inflated to at least 150 percent of its normal operating pressure.
Although a setback, it’s not clear if the failure will have any impact on the certification schedule because another problem has already caused it to slip. The GE-9X engine, the largest jet engine ever made, is suffering developmental problems and first flight has been delayed until sometime in 2020.
