Overview
- Boeing won FAA certification for an increased maximum takeoff weight option on the 787-9 and 787-10, giving airlines the choice to carry more payload or fly longer routes.
- The 787-9 gains about 10,000 pounds to 571,500 pounds for roughly three metric tons more payload or about 310 nautical miles more range, while the 787-10 gains about 14,000 pounds to 574,000 pounds for about five metric tons more payload or roughly 430 nautical miles more range.
- MTOW is the heaviest a jet can be cleared to weigh at takeoff, which affects runway needs and airport fees, so Boeing says airlines can activate the higher limit at delivery or later to suit their network and cost plans.
- Boeing says the first jets with the upgrade are moving toward delivery, with an Air New Zealand 787-9 through final assembly and preparing for inspections and flight tests to support longer-haul missions.
- The Air Current frames the approval as a break in Boeing’s certification drought, while AeroTime focuses on the operational gains and notes Boeing had previewed the iMTOW specs in updated planning documents last October.