BOEING 787-10 DREAMLINER TAKES TO THE SKIES

The third and the latest member of Boeing’s commercial jet Dreamliner family, the B787-10, took to the skies for the first time on March 31, 2107, from the Boeing facility in South Carolina, completing a successful flight lasting for nearly four hours. Boeing Commercial Airplanes President & CEO Kevin McAllister hailed the aircraft as “the most efficient in its class”, saying it would give carriers “added flexibility in growing their networks and build on the overwhelming success of the 787 family”. Piloted by Boeing test captains Tim Berg and Mike Bryan, the Dash-10 performed tests on flight controls, systems and handling qualities and will now undergo comprehensive flight testing before deliveries in the first half of next year. The aircraft has 149 orders from nine companies across the globe including launch customer Singapore Airlines, Air Lease Corporation (ALC), All Nippon Airways (ANA), British Airways, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and United Airlines. Boeing says the Dash-10, at 5.5 metres longer than the B787-9, offers 25 per cent lower fuel consumption than the aircraft it will replace. The 787 Dreamliner family is a key part of Boeing’s twin-aisle strategy to offers a modern, optimised and efficient airplane family in every market segment.