Boeing and Singapore Airlines celebrated the first delivery of the 787-10 on March 25 at a special event at manufacturer's North Charleston, South Carolina, production facility.
Singapore Airlines took ownership of 9V-SCA/MSN 60253 (pictured), the first 787-10 delivered to a customer, several weeks ago. Boeing has booked 211 787-10 orders from 11 customers.
Singapore Airlines has been training pilots and cabin crew in preparation for an early May entry into service on the carrier's Singapore (SIN)-Osaka route. But the first 787-10 revenue flights will be select SIN-Kuala Lumpur and SIN-Bangkok routes, starting the week of April 1, for crew training.
Singapore Airlines has ordered 49 787-10s. Three of them were on the flight line during the first-delivery celebration, and two more were in final assembly. Singapore plans to take delivery of eight this year.
The carrier's 787-10s are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 TENs.
Singapore's 787-10s will have 337 seats in a new, two-class "regional" layout. They will be used primarily on flights of 6-8 hrs.
The 301-seat economy cabin is similar to what the carrier introduced last fall on its newest A380. The 787-10's high-definition video screens are slightly larger than those on the A380 (11.6 in vs 11.1 in).
The real star of Singapore's 787-10 cabin is the all-new 36-seat business class, featuring lie-flat beds in a 1-2-1, nine-row configuration.
The seat is a highly customized version of a Stelia Aerospace product. Stelia is part of the Airbus Group.
Singapore Airlines believes its new regional business-class product rivals first-class offerings flown where its 787-10s will be deployed.
Singapore's first 787-10, outfitted for revenue service, departed Charleston late on May 26 for its maiden flight home, with select industry and media members onboard. Following a technical stop in Osaka, it arrived for its home-country debut and the official unveiling of the new business-class cabin.
Singapore's next two 787-10s will be delivered in the coming weeks, with the second slated to depart Charleston during the week of April 1, and the third (9V-SCC/MSN 60258, pictured) slated to follow on or around May 1.
The third variant of the 787, the 787-10 is 224 ft. long, or 18 ft. longer than the 787-9, and adds semilevered main landing gear for added rotation angle. Its design features 95% commonality with the 787-9. The 787-10 will seat up to 323 passengers in a tri-class layout and operate on routes up to 6,430 nm.
Every 787-10 will be assembled at Boeing's North Charleston facility. This is because the aircraft's stretched mid-body fuselage section—also made in North Charleston—is too large to be transported efficiently to Boeing's Everett, Wash., 787 facility. Both facilities produce 787-8s and 787-9s.
Singapore Airlines took ceremonial acceptance of the first Boeing 787-10 during a March 25 event, and has announced Singapore (SIN)-Osaka as the type’s first regular route, starting in May.
