By Chandni Shah and Devika Madhusudhanan Nair

(Reuters) -Boeing has began certification flight testing of its long-delayed 777-9 with U.S. aviation regulators onboard, the U.S. planemaker mentioned in an emailed assertion.

The corporate mentioned it carried out its first flight on Friday night time after receiving Kind Inspection Authorization (TIA).

The event is a lift for Boeing (NYSE:), which has been grappling with manufacturing and authorized points since a Jan. 5 mid-air panel blowout on a 737 MAX airplane.

The information was first reported by Air Present.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) whereas declining to touch upon particular certification initiatives, mentioned “Generally, this kind of thorough process takes many months.”

The 777-9 is a part of the 777X mission to improve the 777 wide-body jet. The mission has been in growth since 2013 however has confronted a number of hold-ups, together with certification delays.

Kind inspection authorization is usually related to the beginning of the certification course of, made after the FAA has examined technical knowledge. The milestone permits FAA pilots to take part in flight testing wanted to certify the airplane for regular operation.

The chairman of Emirates, the airplane’s largest buyer, mentioned in Could he didn’t count on the certification earlier than the primary quarter of 2025.

Boeing has mentioned that the 777-9 take a look at fleet will endure probably the most thorough industrial flight take a look at effort the planemaker has ever undertaken.