Boeing Rolls Out 787-9 Dreamliner

(RTTNews) - Aerospace and defense giant Boeing Co. (BA) late Saturday announced that it has completed the first 787-9 Dreamliner. The company had said in late July that the airplane has just rolled out of the paint hangar.

The second member of the 787 family was rolled out of the Everett, Washington factory to the flight line, where teams are preparing it to fly later this summer.

The 787-9 will complement and extend the 787 family, offering airlines the ability to grow routes opened with the 787-8.

With the fuselage stretched by 20 feet, the 787-9 will carry 40 more passengers an additional 300 nautical miles or 555 kilometers, with 20 percent less fuel use and 20 percent fewer emissions than similarly sized airplanes.

The 787-9 will offer features such as large, dimmable windows, large stow bins, modern LED lighting, higher humidity, a lower cabin altitude, cleaner air and a smoother ride.

With the second and third airplanes in final assembly, Boeing and the 787-9 are on track. First delivery to launch customer Air New Zealand is set for the middle of 2014. On June 18, Boeing launched the 787-10 Dreamliner, the third member of the 787 family. Final assembly and flight test of the 787-10 are set to begin in 2017, with first delivery targeted for 2018.