Boeing has announced that it has completed the first 787-9, the second member of its Dreamliner family.
Measuring six metres longer than the 787-8, the new aircraft increases capacity and range of the Dreamliner, carrying 40 more passengers over an additional 300 nautical miles (555 km).
According to Boeing, the 787-9 leverages on the design of the 787-8, and offers the same superior environmental performance. It also consumes 20 per cent less fuel, and emits 20 per cent less emission than similarly sized airplanes, Boeing claims.
Regarding technical issues that have plagued the 787-8 since its release, Allison Bone, Boeing's communications director Australia & New Zealand said the company has implemented significant changes to the 787-8's system, and incorporated all these improvements on the 787-9.
She said: "Boeing [has] developed a comprehensive set of improvements that adds several layers of additional safety features to the lithium-ion batteries on the 787-8. The 787-9 will feature lithium-ion batteries and the same comprehensive set of improvements, with some adjustments to account for the longer fuselage [and] different wiring runs."
Bone also confirmed that issues with the emergency locator transmitters (ELT), which occurred in July (see here), had no connection to the battery system. Boeing has since "provided instructions to customers giving them the required information to meet their regulatory guidelines. This includes either the inspection or removal of the ELT on affected airplanes, as dictated by local operational requirements."
Finally, Boeing confirmed that an investigation into the electrical wiring defect found in the fire extinguisher system on three of its 787 Dreamliners earlier this month (see here) is ongoing, but has not affected the design of the 787-9 in this area.
According to Bone: "An engineering review has determined that this improper configuration does not present an immediate safety of flight issue because the bottles are not the only means of fire extinguishing for engines and there are multiple redundancies within the fire extinguishing system.
"Regardless, improperly configured components are not acceptable and this issue is being addressed promptly."
Clement Huang
