Boeing 777-9 Dubai Update & Test Pilot Interview Video

This AIN video features the Boeing 777-9. Twelve years since Boeing launched the 777X program at the 2013 Dubai Airshow, the OEM is back on-site with both its 777-9 test aircraft and a renewed confidence that delays to the protracted certification schedule are finally over. At the 2025 Dubai Airshow, we get a program update and also speak to one of the aircraft’s test pilots.

Justin Hale – Boeing Head of Airline Marketing

At the Dubai Airshow 2025, Justin Hale, Boeing’s Head of Airline Marketing and Customer Leader for the 777X program, expressed “high confidence” that the next-generation aircraft will enter service by 2027, with certification expected as soon as 2026.

Hale said Boeing is making steady progress through the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) type inspection authorization (TIA) test phases, a critical milestone toward full certification. “We’ve committed to a study with Emirates to understand performance variables,” Hale explained. “It’s more about the impact on takeoff performance than anything else.”

Reassuring both airline partners and industry analysts, Hale emphasized that despite earlier program delays, the 777X is now firmly on schedule. “We have high confidence the airplane will enter service by 2027, with certification forthcoming as soon as 2026,” he reiterated.

In a LinkedIn post, Hale praised the “incredible progress by the 777X team over the past 12 months,” highlighting the 777-9’s arrival in Dubai for both static and flying displays—an important milestone showcasing Boeing’s renewed momentum toward the jet’s commercial debut.

Heather Ross – Boeing 777X Test Pilot

Heather Ross is a former U.S. Air Force pilot who also flew passenger aircraft for a major airline before joining Boeing’s test program. At the Dubai Airshow, she was part of the team showcasing the 777X’s capabilities to global audiences.

Ross explained that the aircraft used for testing is heavily instrumented, with sensors, computers, and even movable water tanks to simulate different weight and balance conditions. She emphasized the importance of pushing the aircraft beyond normal service limits during testing to ensure safety and reliability once it enters commercial service.

Her remarks included a candid reflection: “I wouldn’t bring my grandmother on board the airplane to fly it,” Ross joked, highlighting that the test environment is designed to stress the aircraft far beyond what passengers would ever experience.

She also noted that the 777X program is focused on ensuring the jet is fully ready for service, with its advanced GE9X engines, folding wingtips, and next‑generation cabin features.