Boeing plans to boost the maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of the 777-200IGW (increased gross-weight) variant by 7,000kg, allowing the aircraft's maximum range with 375 passengers to be stretched to about 14,000km (7,600nm).
The jump to the new 294,200kg MTOW level was approved after the completion of structural tests on the fatigue-test airframe, which revealed a larger-than-expected growth margin for the -200 airframe. "It's for sale and available when the -300 gear is in production from 1998," says Mike Bair, vice-president of product strategy and marketing. The strengthened gear for the 777-300 has been developed for the stretched aircraft's 299,600kg MTOW and therefore has plenty of margin for the heavy -200IGW, which is to become the new standard for the long-range intercontinental version.
Other than the stronger gear, the heavier -200IGW will be identical to current IGWs coming off the Everett production line, and is expected to attract considerable interest from operators.
Boeing will "-know within six months" what the final MTOW of the ultra-long-range 777-200X and extended-range -300X derivatives will be, says Bair.
"It's in the range of 715,000lb [324,600kg] to 720,000lb, with 102,000lb [454kN]-thrust engines. The -200X is sizing the programme and the -300X sort of falls out of whatever we get out of that," he explains.
Source: Flight International
