BoeingA's new jetliner takes off on maiden flight.

Islamabad -- BoeingA's new long-haul 777X airliner made its first flight Saturday, a major step forward for the company whose broader prospects remain clouded by the 737 MAX crisis.

The plane took off from a rain-slicked runway a few minutes after 10:00 am local time (1800 GMT), at Paine Field in Everett, Washington, home to BoeingA's manufacturing site in the northwestern United States.

Weather conditions had already twice delayed the inaugural takeoff of the plane, which sports blue and white company colors and is emblazoned with the Boeing name.

High winds led to its postponement on Friday, and the company blamed weather for an earlier delay on Thursday, which was rainy.

The 777X originally was due to take to the skies for the first time in mid-2019, but was postponed due to problems with the new engine, manufactured by General Electric, and difficulties with the wings and software.

If the test flights go well, Boeing will officially file for approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

As Boeing faces a crisis over its top-selling 737 MAX following two deadly crashes, the 777X is supposed to compete in the market for long-haul aircraft with the A350 made by rival European aircraft manufacturer Airbus.

Some 340 orders of the 777X have been made mainly from seven major airlines, including Emirates, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airways.

The first deliveries of the new model, which can carry 384 to 426 passengers, are not expected before...