This article is part of the Why it Failed series at Aeronautics, which discusses aircraft and spacecraft that didn’t take off as well as they were expected to. Read more from this series here.

Boeing’s latest technological marvel was unveiled in the early 2000s, a time when airlines were opening ambitious new long-haul routes to unfathomably far destinations. The aircraft provided a way for airlines to operate some of the world’s largest routes, while still maintaining the efficiency of a twin-engine configuration, something the competing Airbus A340-500 did not have. Boeing intended the aircraft to operate routes such as Los Angeles to Singapore, New York to Johannesburg and London to Perth, but none of the manufacturer’s intended routes ever took shape. The aircraft seemed to miss its mark.

Initially, the 777-200LR was reasonably successful, with orders from several major carriers, including 10 aircraft for Delta Air Lines and 10 aircraft for Emirates. When it entered service in 2006 with Pakistan International Airlines, it wasn’t swamped with orders, but looked like it had the potential to gain more customers. However, Boeing’s long-awaited orders never came. A few orders trickled in from various airlines, but nothing over 10 aircraft, and no additional orders from airlines that had already received the plane.

The first Boeing 777-200 in commercial service, United Airlines' N777UA, taking off from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in 2005. Boeing delivered the first 777 to United Airlines on May 15, 1995.The FAA awarded 180-minute ETOPS clearance ('ETOPS-180') for the Pratt & Whitney PW4084-engined aircraft on May 30, 1995, making it the first airliner to. Boeing 777-200 The Boeing 777-200 is a long range, twin aisle, twin-engine jet manufactured by Boeing, the American aerospace company. We operate these aircraft on longhaul routes to North and South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Australasia, the Far East, Middle East and Gulf destinations.

The 777-200LR’s main issue was that it’s range was too long. The plane wasn’t viable on shorter routes due to the weight of it’s huge fuel tanks, and steadily rising fuel prices made it difficult to start the ultra-long-haul routes it was intended for. Currently, the aircraft operates just a small handful of such routes, including Doha to Auckland with Qatar Airways and Atlanta to Johannesburg with Delta Air Lines. The aircraft’s efficiency on long-haul routes has made it popular with airlines, however it has largely been replaced with smaller aircraft on the world’s longest routes, such as the Airbus A350, which operates the world’s longest commercial flight, and the Boeing 787, which operates the world’s third-longest commercial flight. The 777 has largely sat on the sidelines operating shorter but higher-demand routes that could easily be operated by cheaper aircraft with shorter ranges.

Currently, 60 Boeing 777-200LRs have been produced, with airlines operating 50 and the remaining 10 belonging to governments and private customers. One aircraft is currently in Boeing’s order backlog, belonging to Turkmenistan Airlines, which it will likely use to serve popular destinations in the United Kingdom, routes within the operating range of the smaller Boeing 737 and 757. The aircraft will likely not receive any future orders, as customers are more likely to choose more modern or smaller aircraft such as the Boeing 777-8 or 787-9.

However, the 777-200LR wasn’t a complete failure. The aircraft serves as the basis for the long-range Boeing 777 Freighter, utilized by freight airlines around the world including FedEx and Lufthansa Cargo. If it weren’t for the -200LR’s advances in long-range technology, the Freighter variant would have received far fewer orders to date due to working with less range and fewer available destinations to serve.

All images courtesy of Martin Tietz / Aeronautics Online

Includes 32-bit textures for the virtual cockpit, VC panel version SP2A, and XML gauges; VC model for the P&W 4000 series; POSKY FDE service pack D; custom Pratt & Whitney PW4077 sound set; configuration for the jetway to work with the front door.

This 777 made by Project OpenSky is a full-featured model including a high-quality virtual cockpit. All the work has already been done, so simply follow the install steps in the readme section and you can get this wonderful aircraft in the air.

Included in this package

Project Opensky 777-200 in the new United Airlines colors
32-Bit textures for the virtual cockpit, VC panel version SP2A, and XML gauges. (add to gauges folder)
VC model for the P&W 4000 series
Posky FDE service pack D
Custom Pratt & Whitney PW4077 Soundset
Original FS9 777-300.gau file (Add to your FSX gauges folder if not already there)
msvcr70.dll file (Goes in your root FSX directory if not already there)
Configuration for the jetway to work with front door

The package was tested in FSX with SP2 and Acceleration using a DX9 graphics card. This setup should work for everyone, but there are no guarantees.

Make sure to uncheck the DX10 preview mode if you have a DX10 enabled graphics card.

Delta Boeing 777 200 Seating Chart

Images & Screenshots

The archive united_777.zip has 421 files and directories contained within it.

File Contents

This list displays the first 500 files in the package. If the package has more, you will need to download it to view them.

Filename/Directory	File Date	File Size
OS772V2_PW4074_UA	08.08.09	0 B
777-effects	08.08.09	0 B
Opensky_747_vclight.fx	10.02.02	1.31 kB
Opensky_beacon.fx	02.12.02	3.04 kB
Opensky_conden.fx	10.03.02	3.15 kB
Opensky_condens.fx	09.08.02	2.71 kB
Opensky_logo_light.fx	10.03.02	1.31 kB
Opensky_nacelle_refl.fx	09.29.02	1.29 kB
Opensky_nav_yellow.fx	03.24.04	3.07 kB
Opensky_sparks.fx	09.08.02	7.05 kB
Opensky_vortex.fx	10.08.03	1.23 kB
Opensky_wing_light.fx	09.29.02	1.31 kB
Aircraft.cfg	08.08.09	21.58 kB
Boeing 777-200-PW4074.air	12.26.08	9.38 kB
Boeing777-300.gau	06.13.03	4.26 MB
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ.txt	08.08.09	1.77 kB
model	08.08.09	0 B
model.cfg	08.04.08	36 B
OS772V2_PW4000_VC.mdl	11.01.08	4.25 MB
msvcr70.dll	01.05.02	336.00 kB
panel	08.08.09	0 B
$vc_01.bmp	06.26.08	4.00 MB
$vc_02.bmp	06.26.08	4.00 MB
forward_1024.bmp	07.07.01	769.05 kB
forward_640.bmp	07.07.01	301.05 kB
panel.cfg	08.08.09	7.01 kB
Pky_util	08.08.09	0 B
$vc_03.bmp	06.26.08	4.00 MB
$~Pky_Timer.xml	10.31.08	1.28 kB
install.txt	03.25.08	143 B
Pky_Init.xml	04.26.08	621 B
Pky_Timer.xml	10.24.08	1.43 kB
Pky_Util.xml	10.31.08	6.12 kB
posky_sw_close.bmp	03.25.08	2.30 kB
posky_sw_off.bmp	03.25.08	2.30 kB
posky_sw_on.bmp	03.25.08	2.30 kB
posky_sw_open.bmp	03.25.08	2.30 kB
posky_tow_0.bmp	10.24.08	4.55 kB
posky_tow_100.bmp	10.24.08	4.55 kB
posky_tow_200.bmp	10.24.08	4.55 kB
posky_utilbase.bmp	10.31.08	47.87 kB
TESTDIRT.BMP	06.26.08	341.40 kB
Thumbs.db	11.01.08	21.00 kB
vc_transparent01_t.bmp	06.26.08	4.00 MB
Posky777	08.08.09	0 B
Pky2Rudder.xml	04.25.08	587 B<

Boeing 777200