Boeing's latest Dreamliner cleared for commercial service by FAA

Boeing’s 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft was cleared for commercial service by the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday, the airline said.

The flight test program for the fuel-efficient wide-body jet, which is a direct competitor of Airbus’ A350, began in March 2017 and involved three flight test jets which accrued about 900 test hours, Boeing said.

"We are pleased to have met the rigorous standards set forth by the FAA and are eager to bring the airplane to market for our valued customers," said Brad Zaback, vice president and general manager of the 787 program. "After years of design and testing, our team has proven the quality, safety and reliability of the newest member of the Dreamliner family and we look forward to seeing the airplane in service later this year."

The 787-10 is the extended version of the 787-9 and can seat 330 passengers in a typical two-class configuration, while flying at a range of up to nearly 7,400 miles. So far, Boeing said it has more than 170 orders for the latest version of the Dreamliner from nine customers worldwide. First delivery of the aircraft is expected in the first half of 2018 to Singapore Airlines.