The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved a production certificate for Boeing South Carolina to deliver 787-9 aircraft to customers, the company announced on 5 March.
Boeing opened a second final assembly line for the 787 in North Charleston, South Carolina, in 2011, augmenting two more lines established in Everett, Washington.
The FAA issued a production certificate, titled PC 700, to the North Charleston facility in July 2012, but it was limited to the 787-8. After successfully passing an FAA audit, the amended certificate now includes the 787-9, Boeing says.
Boeing South Carolina is scheduled to become the exclusive final assembly line for the 787-10 upon the type certification of the double-stretch model, which is scheduled in 2018.
By the end of the decade, Boeing plans to raise production across all three 787 variants to 14 per month, up from 10 month now. The North Charleston site is expected to account for half of that output, as well as design propulsion systems for the 737 Max and 777 family of aircraft.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
