Posted on March 13, 2017 David Sherman
Boeing rolled out the first 787-10 Dreamliner at its South Carolina aviation plant. Thousands celebrated as President Donald Trump and Governor Henry McMaster announced the airplane’s debut. The 787-10 will be the longest model in the Dreamliner family at 224 feet, an eighteen-foot increase from the 787-9. Passenger capacity was increased an additional thirty seats and the cargo area was expanded, yet the plane is calculated to have a 95% commonality score to the 787-9. The Boeing Company achieved its goal of lengthening the plane without any major changes as a resource saving strategy, narrowing its scope for Dreamliner spare parts and training requirements.
The launch of the 787-10 was, to no surprise, extremely successful. As of February, Boeing has received 149 orders of the Aircraft, with launch customer Singapore Airlines scheduled to receive 30 in 2018. They have also indicated an interest in purchasing twenty 777-9 planes. Speculation has Singapore Airlines aiming to replace their comparable Airbus 380 models with a Boeing fleet. The new Boeing Company planes are more fuel efficient, less costly to operate, and haul more cargo than the Airbus A380. With production currently at twelve units per month, the 787-10 is looking to have a busy production line in coming years.
The Dreamliner family has been flying commercial flights since 2011. The twin-engine, dual aisle midsize aircraft line holds from 242 to 310 in its three variants: -8, -9, and now -10. The plane is powered by two Rolls-Royce engines producing up to 78,000 lbs. of thrust. Boeing has spent over $30 billion developing the 787 program. The program however, is not yet profitable. Boeing does not expect to break even until they have sold 1100 aircraft.
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