Reasons The Boeing 777X Needed To Have Folding Wingtips

There has been a tremendous interest in the folding wingtips of the brand-new addition to the Boeing 777 family - the 777X. While not yet in commercial service, the 777X will soon become the first commercial aircraft of this size to have folding wingtips. In the air, these tips are extended outwards. Upon landing, the tips of the wings are designed to fold on the ground during taxi and parking. Let’s take a closer look at why Boeing’s upcoming widebody needed to have this feature…
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[@shakesnbake]

Can you believe Boeing's 777X advert/preview is ten years old!!?

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

I remember watching it back in the day. The serrated chevon’s were dropped though after finding a better way to reduce engine noise

[@Ishaanbiniwale]

That's crazy

[@TacticaLLR]

Yes!!?

[@amuyrizz]

Feel old yet??

[@abdelkadermehiz9407]

Ten and half years

[@neilpickup237]

I suspect that if there is a favourable cost/benefit, they will become the norm rather than the exception. They could well appear on the 737/A320 series updrades/replacements to avoid higher gate charges.

[@user-yc2oz8kc5k]

The other guys recently anounced they were going to work on something similar, so this feature must be good and useful to the big planes.

[@Kurre.]

Airbus?

[@robertlee6338]

​@@Kurre.Comac

[@TacticaLLR]

Other guys?

[@TacticaLLR]

Bubus

[@michaelrmurphy2734]

Given this week's collision at Haneda I was wondering... Is the B777X a classic aluminum aircraft or a next generation carbon fiber plane? The first fire involving a carbon fiber plane.

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

75% Aluminium but with fully composite wings and a few other things and titanium to reinforce the centre wing box which has been made bigger to support the biggers

[@EuropeanRailfanAlt]

Hopefully the 777X actually manages to get certified in 2025, we haven't had a lot of news about it compared to the 737 MAX

[@DJAYPAZ]

True, there isn’t much published about the 777x. I searched for certification activity and found most recently the 777x was doing take offs and landings at Americas 2nd highest airport. Also flight tests to assess crosswind stability.

[@sainnt]

Airbus is already in the process of testing their own folding wing aircraft, a clear indication that the Boeing innovation for commercial aircraft is a game changer.

[@jpazinho]

The biggest advantage I can see is for a plane on the ground - as wingspan gets wider and wider, folding wings would enable airports to maintain current gate sizes (and/or plan increasing gate dimensions in the range of decades, as opposed to years).

[@sundragon7703]

Because the 777X has a similar silhouette as the rest of the 777 family, it does not raise an eyebrow. 777s have been around for decades. That opinion changes when a 777X flies overhead as one recognizes its size compared to its predecessors. So, I appreciate the clever solution to stay within a certain parameter. On a historical note, the folding wingtips was envisioned for the first 777 designs.

[@swornthekillerintown]

Clean explanation.

[@user-of5lw4oy3c]

Looking forward to flying on the 777X.

[@Playyboxxx]

Love the 777

[@wadehiggins1114]

This is the only aircraft they make that I actually like

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

What do you like about it?

[@wadehiggins1114]

@@filledwithvariousknowledge2747 the wings

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

I’ve always like raked wings which is effectively what they are when unfolded

[@kuxica]

In the event of equipment malfunction- can a plane maintain flight should the wing tips buckle in flight- causing t to become more of a winglet rather than a wing tip? What designs were created to ensure that those tips don’t malfunction mid flight ? Or how safe can flying maintain should something happen mid flight to a tip? Those are questions I have yet to hear anyone address.

[@charlestoast4051]

The longer wings don't result in a greater lift coefficient, instead, they simply reduce the induced drag.

[@Jet-Pack]

3:30 no, if wing area is larger then lift coefficient is smaller for the same weight. In other words: lift approximately equals weight and lift is proportional to wing area and lift coefficient. Increasing the wing are thus lowers the lift coefficient if all other parameters are the same. However in the 777X the additional wing area helps to lift more weight (for the same lift coefficient) and so maximum takeoff weight can be increased without compromising on takeoff or landing distances.

[@andrewlonghofer]

I’ve often wondered why they fold up rather than down-surely folding down would let you take advantage of aerodynamics to keep them in place?

[@andyc9902]

Early squad

[@CompositesNG]

What’s the MEL for the Wing Tips being Inop?

[@EdOeuna]

Locked in place, so limited to which airport it can go to.

[@gunthertoastbrot3738]

Haters would say the A350neo will be certified before the B777x.

[@hanj31]

Will the wingtips be folded up for take off and landing?

[@Jil1A]

No. They fold up after landing.

[@cabottaxi]

Let's hope the lock to keep them in place has been well designed. Don't fancy flying in an aircraft with a wing like a pigeon.

[@suspicionofdeceit]

Can it theoretically fly with the tips folded?

[@Avgeek1564]

Yes, most modern airliners have winglets at the end of the wings, so this is no different.

[@Your_Local_Nerd]

@@Avgeek1564winglets and folding wingtips are two different things, since the folding wingtips weren’t designed to be used in flight, and considering that the 777 never came with a winglets, i highly doubt that the plane would just be able to fly as normal with the wingtips up

[@MACH_CONCORDE]

I have a big question: Would Airbus also adopt the folding winglets on their (probably) next gen of A350s?

[@RANDOMZBOSSMAN1]

Folding tips would only be needed if the wing size is too big for the current class the A350 is in If the wing isn’t too big then theres no need for them when airbus inevitably does a A350 next gen

[@neilpickup237]

I suspect that we may see them on the next A320 series wings.

[@petersjuri]

Unlikely, I only see the necessity for that if Airbus decides to develop an aircraft even bigger than the A350-1000. Its wingspan stands at 64.75m, therefore it also fits into the ICAO Code E category. The A350 is most likely going to remain Airbus flagship for many years to come, so I do not see the need for folding wingtips anytime soon.

[@RANDOMZBOSSMAN1]

@@neilpickup237I think the A320 has probably met its last evolution if airbus are smart they would start work on a new clean sheet design because Boeing will do this to replace the 737 and the efficiency gains will probably make the A320 obsolete A new short distance composite plane

[@rezkypinem1005]

Yes if you need to wave other plane in the air 😌

[@umi3017]

Fun fact Boeing had a proposal on 777-200 with folding wingtips as an airliner option, but just no one picked it.

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

Those folding winglets were supposed to be even bigger with the assumption some airlines would use the gates made for the 767

[@Your_Local_Nerd]

do you mean the 777-8?

[@jpazinho]

"it requires minimal training" - its clear now why the 777x is eternally waiting for certification.. Last time a new Boeing plane required "minimal training", 346 people died in 2 separate accidents.

[@user-gi7vi9gm4t]

boing should have the whole wing fold , remove the engines , and just have the wings flap up and down for thrust like in that one video

[@Your_Local_Nerd]

that would be expensive, and it would probably add a lot of unneeded weight to the wings

[@AmbientMorality]

@@Your_Local_Nerd I think that's not the best for fatigue life either

[@Your_Local_Nerd]

@@AmbientMorality true

[@user-qz4tg9ui8q]

I think there will be a "folding wingtip delete" in the future. Just like there is an "eyebrow window delete" on older 737s. The 777X will be flown between hubs and more and more airports will accept this plane and ICAO code F. Without the folding wingtip it avoids complexity, weight, saves fuel and potentially could give room for more fuel and range.

[@daveh966]

To fit stands at airports what else?

[@filledwithvariousknowledge2747]

Pre-made 777-300ER stands to be precise