Next Member Of Boeing 777 Family Is 90-Percent Engineered

EVERETT, Wash., Dec. 20, 1995 - The newest member of the Boeing 777 family -- an increased gross weight (IGW), longer-range version of the 777-200 -- has reached its 90- percent engineering definition milestone on time, program officials today announced.

The new increased gross weight design supplements the initial Boeing 777 with a second set of mission capabilities.

"The increased-gross weight version has been a key strategy in our plan to provide a versatile 777 family," said Lars Andersen, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group chief project engineer for 777 Airplane Design. "The 777-200IGW provides value by allowing for increased range while retaining maximum commonality between the two models."

The Boeing 777 family also includes a 777-300 version, which has a longer fuselage and can carry more passengers.

While completing 90 percent of the design of the 777- 200IGW marks a major engineering milestone, it also validates once more the Working Together approach that has been used throughout the 777 program. The approach brings together airline customers, program partners, suppliers and various Boeing engineering, manufacturing and business disciplines to define and design the aircraft.

"To us, total airplane design now includes not only the airplane hardware, but also the plans to build parts and tools for assembly. With today's improved practices, we don't consider the design complete until we finish all these aspects," Andersen said. "Customer participation, design/build teams, open communication and digital design were all factors in reaching this milestone on time."

The 777-200IGW will fly 8,350 miles (7,250 nautical miles or 13,400 kilometers) with a maximum takeoff weight of 632,500 pounds (286,900 kilograms). In a typical three- class configuration, it would carry 305 passengers. By contrast, the initial 777 can fly 5,300 miles (4,600 nautical miles or 8,500 kilometers) with a maximum takeoff weight of 535,000 pounds (242,680 kilograms).

The IGW model will have the same physical dimensions as the initial 777-200. But the IGW model increases engine- thrust ratings from 77,000 pounds to 90,000 pounds and carries up to 13,700 gallons (51,860 liters) more fuel.

The 777-200IGW would serve such city pairs as London-Los Angeles, San Francisco-Tokyo, Tokyo-Sydney, and Chicago- Seoul, as well as routes from the eastern U.S. to the Middle East.

Some hardware for the first 777-200IGW already has been manufactured, with delivery to first customer British Airways scheduled for the end of next year.