Boeing 787-10 (B78X)

The Boeing 787-10 is the stretched, high-capacity member of the Dreamliner family, launched in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show with orders from Singapore Airlines, United, British Airways, Etihad and the lessor GECAS. Boeing's aim was a 787 that could carry around 330 passengers at the lowest cost per seat of any widebody on medium- and long-haul routes of up to twelve hours, competing with the Airbus A350-900 and replacing older 777-200s and A330-300s.

The stretch was simple in concept and demanding in practice. Boeing added 5.5 m to the 787-9's fuselage, keeping the same wing, engines and landing gear, which meant the aircraft shared the -9's type rating and 95% of its parts but gave up some range. The longer fuselage sections could not fit inside the Dreamlifter transport aircraft that carries 787 components to Everett, so the -10 became the first Boeing airliner built exclusively at the North Charleston plant in South Carolina, which later took over all 787 assembly.

The first 787-10 flew on 31 March 2017, with certification following in January 2018. Singapore Airlines took the first delivery in March 2018 and put it to work on regional routes to Osaka, Perth and Bangkok, where its capacity mattered more than its range. United, the largest customer, used it to replace 777-200s on transatlantic and transcontinental routes; British Airways, KLM, Etihad, EVA Air, Vietnam Airlines and Air Premia followed.

Orders have been steadier than spectacular, with around 250 sold, because the -9's extra range suits more airlines. But on dense medium-haul routes the -10's economics are hard to beat, and as 777-200ERs and A330s retire it has become the default large twin for carriers that do not need ultra-long range.

The 787-10 is the 787-9 with two fuselage plugs, one ahead of the wing and one behind, and almost nothing else changed: the composite wing of 60.1 m span, the GEnx-1B or Trent 1000 engines at their highest thrust ratings, the main landing gear and the systems are all common with the -9, which is why Boeing could certify it as an amendment to the existing type certificate rather than a new aircraft.

The extra length brings a tail-strike consideration on take-off and landing, handled by a semi-levered main landing gear that lets the aircraft rotate about the rear axle, and the maximum take-off weight is the same 254 tonnes as the -9, so the additional structure and passengers come out of fuel, reducing range to about 6,330 nautical miles. The cabin cross-section, window size, electric systems and 6,000 ft cabin altitude are standard Dreamliner.

United Airlines is the largest 787-10 operator, flying it on transatlantic trunk routes and premium transcontinental services; British Airways, KLM and Air France use it to Africa, the Middle East and North America. In Asia Singapore Airlines, EVA Air, Vietnam Airlines, Korean Air (ex-Asiana) and Air Premia operate it on regional and medium-haul trunks, while Etihad deploys it across its network. Typical missions are six- to twelve-hour routes with strong demand, where its roughly 330 seats and low trip cost replace 777-200ERs and A330-300s.

A 787-10 cabin is a long 787-9 cabin: the same lower cabin altitude, humidity, large dimmable windows and quiet engines, with more rows. Nine-abreast economy is universal on the type, so seats are about 17 inches wide; the trade-off for the Dreamliner's comfort features is a slightly narrower seat than an A350's. Because the -10 flies mainly medium-haul trunk routes, some operators fit it with lighter premium cabins than their -9s, though United's Polaris and BA's Club Suite aircraft are exceptions. The long cabin takes a while to board and deplane; choose a seat near a door if you have a connection. For the best economy seat, go for a window in the cabin ahead of the engines, and avoid the last block of rows between the rear doors and galleys where the aisle traffic gathers.

Spotting a 787-10 is a question of length. All three Dreamliners share the chevron engine exhausts, raked wingtips, high-flexing wing and the swept four-pane cockpit windows; the -10, at 68 m, is the long one, almost as long as a 777-300ER, with a long straight run of fuselage between the wing and the tail and the third door pair set well behind the wing. A quick comparison with the wingspan helps: on a -10 the fuselage is noticeably longer than the wing is wide, where on a -8 they look about equal. The semi-levered main gear is hard to see, but the aircraft rotates with an unusually nose-high, slow lift-off.