Aerospace and defence company Boeing has successfully completed the first flight of the second 777X aircraft.

The aircraft remained in the air over Washington State in the US and landed at Seattle’s Boeing Field.

The almost 3-hour flight was piloted by the 777X project pilot captain Ted Grady and 777/777X chief pilot captain Van Chaney.

Boeing said that it tested the handling characteristics and performance of the plane’s other features.

Data collected by a range of equipment, sensors and monitoring devices fitted across the aircraft’s cabin will help assess how it reacts to test conditions in real time.

In a statement, Boeing said: “With initial airworthiness now demonstrated, the team can safely add personnel to monitor testing onboard instead of relying solely on a ground-based telemetry station, unlocking testing at greater distances.”

Powered by GE Aviation’s GE9X engine, the aircraft comes in two versions, 777-8 for 384 passengers and 777-9 for 426 passengers.

The 777-8 version has a range of 8,730 nautical miles, while the range of 777-9 is 7,285 nautical miles.

Boeing launched the aircraft programme in 2013 and it is expected to deliver the first 777X for commercial operations in 2021.

In January, the company successfully completed the first flight of its new 777X jetliner.

The 777X took off at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, and landed in Seattle’s Boeing Field after completing a three-hour, 51-minute flight.