Photos: Boeing Rolls Out Its New 777X, But Quietly

Last Wednesday, many of Boeing's 140,000+ employees likely woke up excited about the company's future. The manufacturer's next-generation wide-body aircraft, the eagerly awaited 777X, was just one week away from its grand debut.

Fast-forward to the day of the event, and Boeing's now in the midst of a serious challenge. Its potentially flawed 737 MAX is currently dominating the news cycle in almost every corner of the globe.

As a result, Boeing made the call to postpone its planned media rollout, while still keeping its 777X program on track. That meant the first test 777-9, with the registration N779XW, debuted as planned on Wednesday — but in front of a group of Washington-based employees, rather than journalists from all around the world. Some of those employees tweeted images of the event, giving us a glimpse.

Boeing also shared an image of the plane, the biggest twin-engine airplane ever made, showcasing its humongous 252-foot length. The 777-9 version pictured below is the longest airliner in the world. It will typically fly about 400 people, and is scheduled to enter service next year. The shorter 777-8, with longer range, will follow.

While emotions were undoubtedly mixed, Boeing staffers appeared eager to get up close and personal with the new plane.

Plant workers and engineers alike took to social media to show off the new aircraft, including the plane's signature folding wingtips, which allow it to access existing terminal gates despite an extended-length wing.

Some even managed to capture video footage, giving us a feel for what the much-anticipated event was actually like.

Like the rest of the world, Boeing's social media accounts appear to be focused exclusively on the 737 MAX, though the company's public relations team did send along a couple photos from the event. We're excited to get our own close look at this beautiful new bird soon.