Boeing Rolls Out First Stretched 787-9 Dreamliner

photo: Boeing Boeing rolled out its first streched 787-9 Dreamliner-the second member of its super-efficient 787 family to the flight li...

photo: Boeing

Boeing rolled out its first streched 787-9 Dreamliner-the second member of its super-efficient 787 family to the flight line on Aug 24 from its Everett plant in Washington.
The 787-9 will complement and extend the 787 family, offering airlines the ability to grow routes opened with the 787-8.
At 20 feet (6 m) longer than the basic 787-8, the 787-9 will extend the 787 family in both capacity and range, carrying 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles (555 km).
The prototype will now proceed to initial ground tests followed by first flight in September.
The vertical stabilizer on this 787-9 reflects the new Boeing Commercial Airplanes livery, a refreshed look for the Boeing family of airplanes that started with the 747-8 and evolved with the 737 MAX. Many features of the livery on the original 787 are reflected in the new design. The prominent number designator on the tail helps distinguish various models within the same product family.
The 787-9 leverages the visionary design of the 787-8 such as its exceptional environmental performance — 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes — and passenger-pleasing features.
With the second and third airplanes in final assembly, Boeing and the 787-9 are on track.
Boeing is building the first three 787-9s on its Temporary Surge Line in Everett to allow for smoother integration of the 787-9 into the production system while continuing to ramp up production across the 787 program.
First delivery to launch customer Air New Zealand is set for mid-2014. 20 customers around the world have ordered 376 787-9s, accounting for 40 percent of all 787 orders.