Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has become the first airline to announce its intent to purchase the ultra-long-range Boeing 777-200X, just nine days after the Boeing board of directors authorised the company to begin offering the big twin and its stretched counterpart, the -300X.
MAS signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 4 March, announcing that it is to order 15 Boeing 777-200Xs in a deal valued at about $2.1 billion. The MoU was signed at the roll-out ceremony for the airline's first 777-200IGW (increased-gross-weight) aircraft, which is due for delivery in mid-April. It has ten -200IGWs on order, as well as five stretched -300s.
"We expect this endorsement, along with others, to satisfy our board of directors' criteria for a formal launch authorisation in the near future," says Boeing Commercial Airplane Group senior vice-president, Dan Heidt. Other carriers expressing strong interest in the -200X include Emirates, Korean Air and Singapore Airlines (Flight International, 5-11 March). Pending a firm go-ahead within the next three months, the timescale calls for the design to be frozen in May 1998 and certification in August 2000, with first deliveries the following month. If the Malaysian order is confirmed, firm orders for the 777 will rise to 333.
The timetable for the -300X is roughly four months behind that of the -200X, and it is expected to enter service in January 2001. The -200X is sized to carry 298 passengers in a three-class configuration over a distance of 15,900km (8,600nm), and would be used by MAS for non-stop services between Kuala Lumpur and Chicago, Los Angeles and New York.
No engine selection has been made public by Malaysian, though Rolls-Royce is believed to be strongly favoured as the carrier's first 15 aircraft on firm order will be powered by R-R Trent 895s.
Source: Flight International
