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Foldable wings will fit Boeing's upcoming 777X jet into small airport gates

Foldable wings will fit Boeing's upcoming 777X jet into small airport gates

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Despite struggling to launch the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing is looking to debut an even more ambitious jet in 2020: the 777X, a twin-aisle, twin-engine jet that's built around fuel efficiency. Boeing says that the jet — which will be renamed before its final release — uses 12 percent less fuel than any competing aircraft and 20 percent less fuel than today's 777, which the 777X is based on.

Foldable wings allow the 777X to fit in existing airport gates

One of the 777X's most noticeable design elements will be its folding wings. Boeing credits much of the 777X's improved fuel efficiency to the wing design, which at 223 feet, is a bit longer than the 777. To make sure that the 777X will fit in existing airport gates, the plane's wingtips will each be able to fold upward, drawing in just over 10 feet on each side.

Boeing 777X renders

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Two different models of the 777X have been announced, the 777-8X and the 777-9X, which hold 350 and 400 seats respectively. Both are meant for long-distance flights, with the 8X capable of traveling over 10,700 miles and the 9X capable of traveling over 9,400 miles. Though it'll be some time before the planes are delivered, there's already been big demand for them from airlines: according to the Associated Press, Boeing received 367 orders for the 777X at the Dubai Airshow on Sunday, totaling over $130 billion in purchases. Should it be launched as planned, we could be seeing quite a few of them starting next decade.