Boeing 777-9 prototype lands in Bolivia for high-altitude testing

A Boeing 777-9 prototype, registration N779XY, landed at Alcantarí International Airport in Sucre, Bolivia, to conduct certification tests in high-altitude conditions. This marks the first time a 777X model has visited South America.

The aircraft is performing trials at an elevation of 10,184 feet (3,104 meters) to collect operational data for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Testing at such altitudes is critical because thinner air reduces engine thrust and wing lift, which increases takeoff and landing distances.

Boeing aims for the first deliveries of the 777-9, the largest twin-engine aircraft ever produced, to begin in 2027. While this prototype tests in Bolivia, another 777X prototype has been conducting crosswind tests at Keflavík Airport in Iceland.