Boeing Flies First 777-9 With Full Interior For Lufthansa

Boeing flew the first 777-9 destined for Lufthansa, complete with a full interior, on an initial test flight from its Everett, Washington, production site on May 7.

The first-of-model aircraft, WH128, was flown by Boeing pilots Ted Grady and Jake Miller on a 3-hr., 27-minute circuit over Washington and Oregon. The flight was “designed to test the airplane’s systems and structures,” Boeing said, noting that the aircraft returned to Paine Field, Everett, at 4:52 p.m.

As an initial model, the 777-9 establishes a baseline configuration for follow-on deliveries. Boeing says WH128 will undergo ground and flight tests, “with an emphasis on cabin systems and connectivity.” The aircraft incorporates Lufthansa’s customized Allegris premium cabin, elements of which were certificated by the FAA earlier this year for use on the airline’s 787-9 aircraft.

Lufthansa, which was one of the launch customers for the 777X family in 2013, is expected to receive its first aircraft in 2026.