……..Regulators will have to approve courseware before pilot training can begin.

ByZach Vasile

Key Takeaways:

A flight simulator that will train airline pilots for an upcoming Boeing 777X variant is one step closer to final approval.

The FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency this week issued certificates for initial qualification for the device, which is being developed jointly by Boeing and flight simulator provider CAE.

The simulator, which replicates the experience of flying a 777-9, will now be used by regulators to validate and approve training courseware before customer airlines begin pilot training.

“Securing these approvals is an important step as we prepare for the start of flight training,” Captain Gary Mandy, the 777X program’s chief technical pilot, said in a news release

. “Pilots will benefit from an immersive training experience that will help ensure our customers’ operational readiness for the 777-9.”

The training devices are located at the Boeing Training Campus in Gatwick, England.

Boeing said the 777-9’s flight deck was designed for both comfort and commonality with the 787 Dreamliner.

It features large-format displays with touchscreen capability; the option for dual head-up displays, similar to the 787; a redesigned pilot seat; a control and indicator for the 777X’s folding wingtips that highlights whether wingtips are extended, in motion, or folded; and integration of portable tablet-based Electronic Flight Bag capability.

The 777X series has been delayed numerous times, mainly over technical issues. But flight testing is again underway, and Boeing expects the first flight of a production 777X to take place in April.

The 777-9 will be the first 777X variant delivered to customers. Boeing is targeting early 2027 for deliveries to Lufthansa, the type’s launch client.