The Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing’s new 787-10 Dreamliner airplane for commercial service, the company announced Monday morning.
The amended type certificate (ATC) was awarded after a successful flight test program began in March of 2017. The program involved three flight test airplanes totaling around 900 test hours.
"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."
According to Boeing, the new Dreamliner will get 25 percent better fuel efficiency per seat than the airplanes it’ll replace. The plane can fly 330 passengers up to 6,430 nautical miles.
Other agencies are expected to FAA and certify the airplane before it enters service.
Boeing says there are over 170 orders for the 787-10 from nine customers worldwide. First delivery is expected to Singapore Airlines in the first half of 2018.
