787-10 progresses through final assembly

Boeing Photo

Boeing is handing some great shots of the 787-10 lately.  Now is a photo of the first aircraft, ZC001 (LN528, N528ZC) in position 2 in building 88-30.  This really shows off the enormous size of the 787-10 to great effect compared to the -9 and -8 that are in the other assembly positions in the background.  I expect that this -10 will now be getting it's landing gear in this position and will probably stay there until after the Holidays as Boeing will shut down for the remainder of the year starting Dec. 23rd.

In the "Where's ZB813" segment, we can see that the formally damaged 787-9 for Xiamen is still inside 88-30 in the upper left corner of the photo.  However it look complete with engines and all wing/body fairings are on so that's a good sign.  It might be ready to roll out of the factory any day now.

I'm still awaiting confirmation that ZA674 (LN 513, N793AV) has been contractually delivered to Avianca as the 500th 787 delivered.  Stranger still is no word from Boeing on this important milestone. You'd think that delivering 500 787s five and quarter years after first delivery would be an achievement that Boeing's PR would be crowing about.  Yet nothing.  Stay tuned....

Trent 1000 TEN flies on 787 as Boeing deliveries now stand at 495

For the first time a Rolls Royce Trent 1000 TEN (thrust, efficiency and new technology) flew on a 787 that it is meant to power.  The 4th 787-8 flight test aircraft ZA004 (LN 004, N7874) flew with the engine for the first time today.  The newest member of the Trent 1000 family is to make up for performance shortfalls in the earlier Trent 1000 engines and is meant to power all three 787 variants with a thrust of up to 78,000 lbs.  According to Rolls Royce, the Trent 1000 TEN "offers proven new technology; its features include a new compressor system scaled from the Trent XWB engine program and a new turbine design to allow extra thrust. Unique to the TEN is a modulated air system which optimizes the secondary air flow within the engine using a valve system with no moving parts, a robust system that delivers performance benefits. External systems have also been improved and re-designed."

The engine should be certified for use on the 787-10 before the types first flight early next year.  Speaking of the 787-10, While parts for the first aircraft are in position 0 in Charleston, it won't start final assembly in position 1 until Dec. 13th, next Tuesday.  Other parts are en-route to Charleston, namely the section 41 forward fuselage.

Lastly, there was a flurry of 787 deliveries yesterday as Boeing delivered 4 787-9s to customers including British Airways, Hainan Airlines, Aeromexico and Xiamen Airlines which picked up it's 1st of 6 787-9 on order.  Boeing has delivered 6 787s this month so far, 132 this year and 495 since program deliveries began.  ZA674 (LN 513, N793AV) for Avianca is to be delivered on Dec. 20th and will be the 500th 787 delivered to a customer.  This will also be the last delivery in 2016 for Boeing which should end the year with 137 787 deliveries - 35 787-8 and 102 787-9s will have been delivered.  Of the remaining 5 787s to be delivered, 3 have had their customer flight and the other 2 will have their C-1 flights next Tuesday, Dec. 13th.  I expect Boeing to shut down for the holidays around Dec. 23rd.