Boeing 787-10

Entering commercial service recently in 2018 with Singapore Airlines, the Boeing 787-10 is the "big brother" of the family.

While the 787-8 was about proving the composite technology, and the 787-9 was about perfecting the balance of range and payload, the 787-10 is purely about economics. It was designed to be the most fuel-efficient twin-aisle aircraft per seat in the sky on medium-to-long-haul routes, competing directly against the Airbus A350-900 and replacing older jets like the Boeing 777-200ER and Airbus A330-300. More information below.

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Distinctive Design Features

The 787-10 is a straightforward evolution of the 787-9, but its sheer size introduces a key mechanical change.

1. The Final Fuselage Stretch (Length)

The most obvious visual characteristic is its extreme length. The 787-10 is stretched by another 18 feet (5.5 meters) over the 787-9 (making it a total of 38 feet longer than the original 787-8).

This gives the aircraft a very long, slender appearance. It is so long that it sometimes appears disproportionate to its wings and tail, which it shares directly with the smaller 787-9.

2. The Landing Gear Trick (Crucial Spotting Feature)

Because the fuselage is so long, there is a significant risk of the tail striking the runway during rotation (takeoff).

To solve this, the 787-10 features a unique semi-levered main landing gear. Unlike the -8 and -9, which tilt on the center axle of the wheel bogie, the -10's gear features a hydraulic mechanism that shifts the rotation point to the rear axle during takeoff. This "lifts" the aircraft higher during rotation, providing crucial extra inches of clearance for the tail.

If you watch a 787-10 take off closely, you can see this unique gear action.

The Capacity vs. Range Trade-off

The 787-10 shares the exact same wing and fuel capacity as the 787-9, but it carries a much heavier fuselage and more payload. Therefore, it trades extreme range for capacity.

Capacity: It is a passenger powerhouse, typically seating around 330 passengers in a two-class layout (about 40 more than the -9), with a massive belly cargo capacity.

Range: Its range is noticeably shorter than the -9 (around 6,400 nautical miles vs 7,500+ for the -9).

The 787-10 is not designed for ultra-long routes like Australia to London. Instead, it is optimized for heavy, 8–12 hour trunk routes, such as New York to Tel Aviv, or Singapore to Osaka, where airlines can fill every seat and cargo pallet to maximize profit.

Shared Dreamliner DNA

Despite its size, the 787-10 retains all the core features of its smaller siblings:

Composite Construction: The same carbon-fiber fuselage allowing for lower cabin altitude and higher humidity.

Visuals: The same sleek cockpit windows, engine chevrons for noise reduction, and dramatic wing flex in flight.