Boeing has completed detailed design for the 787-10 Dreamliner, achieving another major milestone in the development of the newest and longest member of the B787 family. The completion of the detailed design is critical to every development programme because it means the information needed to build parts and tools for assembly has been completed and released for fabrication or procurement. Major assembly of the B787-10 will begin in 2016, followed by first flight in 2017 and first delivery in 2018.

“With the 787-10, we are building upon our experience and the 787-9 design itself to create this newest member of the super-efficient 787 family,” said Ken Sanger, vice president of 787 Airplane Development. “Through our dedicated team and our disciplined processes, we have optimised the design for the needs of the market and are excited as we look forward to production.”

As a straightforward stretch of the B787-9, which entered service in 2014, Boeing designed the B787-10 for superior efficiency as well as maximum commonality. Ninety-five percent of the design and build of the 787-10 and 787-9 will be identical, reducing complexity, cost and risk across the production system and providing operational benefits to customers.

The B787-10 is the third and longest member of the B787 family. With a range of 6,430 nautical miles (11,910 km), the B787-10 will cover more than 90 per cent of the world’s twin-aisle routes at a whole new level of fuel efficiency: 25 per cent more fuel efficient than the aircraft it will replace, Boeing said. To date, the B787-10 has logged 164 orders from nine customers around the world, accounting for 14 per cent of all B787 orders.