The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner has received an
amended type certificate (ATC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), clearing the airplane for commercial
service.
The awarding of ATC caps a successful flight
test program that began in March 2017 and involved three flight
test airplanes that accumulated about 900 test hours.
Boeing's
flight test program team took the airplanes through a series of
tests to confirm the airplane's handling, systems and overall
performance met internal requirements and certification standards
to ensure safety of flight.
"We are pleased to have met the rigorous
standards set forth by the FAA and are eager to bring the airplane
to market for our valued customers," said Brad Zaback, vice
president and general manager of the 787 program. "After years of
design and testing, our team has proven the quality, safety
and reliability of the newest member of the Dreamliner family and
we look forward to seeing the airplane in service later this
year."
Other aviation regulatory agencies are expected
to follow the FAA's lead and certify the airplane before it enters
service.
As
a stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 retains over 95%
commonality while adding seats and cargo capacity. The airplane can fly 330 passengers, in a typical
two-class configuration, up to 6,430 nautical miles (11,910 km).
To date, Boeing has over 170 orders for the
787-10 from nine customers worldwide.
First delivery is expected
to Singapore Airlines in the first half of 2018.
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