At next week's Dubai Airshow, Boeing's (BA -2.87%) newly designed 777 variant, the 777X, is set to win hundreds of orders, worth tens of billions of dollars. The 777X will sport the world's largest jet engine, designed by General Electric (GE -2.11%), that helps the 777X to tout itself as one of the world's most fuel-efficient long-range vehicles. The 777X's vast wingspan alone is prompting discussion on how to fit the massive jet onto some runways.
The 777X could be a huge win for Boeing. Rather than completely redesigning the popular wide-body jet, Boeing opted to make some tweaks to the existing design, most notably the new engine from GE and a new wing design based on technological breakthroughs gained from the design of the 787 Dreamliner. The 777X therefore offers the efficiency breakthroughs of the most cutting-edge aviation technology married to a proven design frame that should, ideally, offer Boeing the ability to produce a best-selling plane on the cheap. Here to talk more about the prospects that Boeing faces with the 777X is Motley Fool contributor Daniel Ferry.
