Boeing says major assembly of the first 787-10 Dreamliner has begun, with circular frames being installed into the midforward section of the fuselage at Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan.
The company said this latest milestone took place on March 14, two weeks ahead of schedule.
“Beginning major assembly early underscores the commitment, discipline and performance of the entire Boeing and partner team worldwide,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of 787 airplane development Ken Sanger said in a statement.
“We are taking all the right steps to ensure we integrate the 787-10 into the production system smoothly.”
The 787-10 is the largest of Boeing’s 787 family of aircraft, a double-stretch from the original 787-8 and a “straightforward” stretch of the 787-9.
Boeing said 95 per cent of the design and build of the 787-10 will be identical with the 787-9. There are 153 orders for the type.
Final assembly for the 787-10 will take place at Boeing’s Charleston, South Carolina, facility, with deliveries due to begin in 2018.
