Boeing has confirmed that around 30 of its 777X aircraft, already assembled at its Paine Field facility, will need significant rework before they can be delivered to customers. The announcement came during the company's first-quarter 2026 earnings call, where CEO Kelly Ortberg detailed the creation of a dedicated team for what he termed "change incorporation." This process involves retrofitting early-production jets with design changes that have emerged from flight tests, certification discussions with the FAA, and production improvements over the program's lengthy development. The 777X program, originally slated for entry into service around 2020, has faced repeated delays and is now expected to deliver its first aircraft no earlier than 2027. The modifications will vary in complexity depending on how early the aircraft was built. According to Ortberg, "The older the airplane, the more change incorporation work there is, and the more structural the changes are, which will take longer." These early units were assembled to an initial design that has since evolved through five years of testing and adjustments, partly driven by new certification requirements imposed after the 737 MAX crises. Boeing plans to prioritize delivery of newer-build 777X jets that already align with the current production standard, while the older units will undergo upgrades over several years. This staggered approach aims to manage the workload and minimize disruption to customer delivery schedules. Despite the setbacks, Boeing reported progress in the certification campaign, having recently received FAA approval for a new test phase known as TIA 4a, which covers natural icing conditions. A further milestone, TIA 4b, described as a "broader certification package," remains pending. For ATPL and ATC students, this story highlights the real-world complexities of aircraft certification and production. The 777X's delays and modification process illustrate how regulatory changes, design iterations, and manufacturing challenges can impact fleet planning and operational readiness. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for future pilots who may fly these aircraft and for controllers who will manage the airspace they operate in.