Boeing has started final assembly of the first 787-10 flight test aircraft in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Boeing
The manufacturing milestone means the aircraft’s major components are installed in Position 0 to be prepared for final body join.
The elements include the forward, centre and aft fuselages, plus the nose section, wings and empennage.
Final assembly begins as Rolls-Royce is making progress with the Trent 1000-TEN engine, one of the two 76,000lb-thrust engine options for the 787-10.
The Trent 1000-TEN flew on board the smaller 787-8 test aircraft, but will be fitted on the 787-10.
Though capable of a maximum 78,000lb-thrust, the Trent 1000-TEN’s new compressor derived from the Trent XWB will be available across all three 787 variants.
Boeing’s schedule calls for the 787-10 to enter service in 2018, seven years after the debut of the 787-8 and four years after the 787-9.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
