Boeing 787-9 certified for service

Good news for Boeing and those who have orders for the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – with the aircraft receiving certification from both the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency.

The first Boeing 787-9 landing after its first test flight – Image, The Boeing Company via their life feed.

The amended type certificate grants the Boeing 787-9 is safe for flight and complies with aviation regulations.

With this clearance, the path is now open for Boeing to prepare deliveries of the plane to the launch customer – Air New Zealand.

The first Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – Image Air New Zealand.

Boeing is very happy with Ray Conner – Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO states:

“Certification is the culmination of years of hard work and a rigorous flight-test program that started with the 787-9’s first flight last September,

“With this validation that the airplane is ready for commercial operations, Boeing along with our airline and leasing customers now look forward to introducing the newest member of the Dreamliner family to passengers around the world.”

Testing of the plane has involved more 1,500 hours of flight and many more on the ground on test, with a cadre of five aircraft used in the test programme.

The Boeing 787-9 took to the skies for the first time in September 2013, with a quick certification – as the plane is a derivative of the 787-8 which entered service.

The 787-9 is 20ft/6.1 meters longer than the initial 787-8, allowing for more passengers to be carried aboard the plane.

United Airline Boeing 787-9 – Image United Airlines.

Interest is high in this model of the 787, with 26 carriers holding orders of 413 aircraft – a total of 40% of order of the plane.  Names who hold orders on this version of the plane include Air New Zealand (launch customer), All Nippon Airlines, Jet Airways, Scoot, Air China, Virgin Atlantic, Japan Airline, Etihad, Air France-KLM, United Airlines and American Airlines.

As airlines take delivery of this aircraft it will be interesting to see how they configure it and use the extra space aboard to maximise the passenger experience as well their profits.