Boeing’s 787 is now achieving dispatch reliability levels almost as high as its 777-300ER, the industry benchmark for widebody reliability.
Boeing’s regional director Product Marketing Tarun Hazari told Airlineratings.com that the 787’s reliability is a “fantastic story” achieving a rate 99.4 percent, just behind the 777-300ERs 99.46 percent.
“Given the higher utilization of the 787 that is an unprecedented number, said Hazari.
The comments came during a global conference call with media on the occasion of the certification of Rolls Royce powered 787-10.
Read: World’s safest airlines 2018
Bob Whittington, the chief project engineer, 787 programs said that “we are complete with all flight testing required for the first deliveries to Singapore Airlines.”
He added that “there is a little bit more testing to be done for the GE-powered airplanes a little bit later on.”
The 787-10 received its amended type certificate (ATC) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the airplane for commercial service on January 22.
As a stretch of the 787-9, the 787-10 retains over 95 percent commonality while adding seats and cargo capacity, setting a new benchmark for fuel efficiency and operating economics at 25 percent better fuel per seat and emissions than the airplanes it will replace says Boeing.
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.
Hazari added that to date the 787 has opened up 170 new routes.
