In recent aviation news, Singapore Airlines has added a brand new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner to its fleet, marking the first delivery of a Dreamliner since the pandemic began. The journey from Boeing facilities in Charleston to Singapore Changi Airport took place between April 1st and April 2nd. In this blog post, we’ll share the details of this significant event and provide some context on Singapore Airlines’ relationship with the 787-10 Dreamliner.
A Long-Awaited Delivery
The new Singapore Airlines aircraft, registered 9V-SCS, took off from Charleston (CHS) on April 1st at 13:27 local time. The Boeing 787-10 has the manufacturer’s serial number (MSN) 60268 and line number 1144. This aircraft is the 16th 787 in the airline’s fleet and the first Dreamliner to join since the pandemic began.
Prior to the delivery flight, BOE Family Flights reported that the aircraft underwent a total of six test flights, logging 10 hours and 28 minutes of test-flight-time. The first test flight took place on February 20th, 2023, and the second on February 23rd. The remaining test flights occurred throughout March.
The Journey to Singapore Changi Airport
The delivery flight took approximately 20 hours and included a technical stop in Nagoya (NGO). Due to the need to avoid Russian airspace and the Siberian corridor after airspace bans were imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the flight took longer than it would have before 2022. Previously, aircraft flying from the eastern United States would have traversed the Arctic Circle, passing over Canada, Russia, and China. Instead, 9V-SCS flew northwest, over Alaska, and across the Pacific to Japan, where it made a refueling stop. The trip from Charleston to Nagoya took just over 14 hours, while the Nagoya to Singapore leg lasted a little over six hours.
Looking Back at the Last Delivery
Before this recent delivery, the last 787 Singapore Airlines received was in November 2019. That aircraft, registered 9V-SCO, had MSN 60264 and line number 938. The COVID-19 pandemic and an extended delivery halt for Boeing Dreamliners resulted in the airline’s 787-10 fleet size remaining static for several years.
Singapore Airlines first ordered the 787-10 in 2013 and was the launch customer for the stretched Dreamliner variant. Data from ch-aviation.com indicates that the airline plans to have a total of 23 787-10s in its fleet, with eight still pending delivery. The airline’s commitment to the 787-10 has changed over the years, expanding to 49 orders by 2017 but reducing twice in 2021 to the current 23. Some commitments were shifted to aircraft lessors, while others were transferred and downsized to the airline’s budget subsidiary, Scoot, as 787-9s.
Looking to the Future
In addition to the undelivered 787-10s, Singapore Airlines anticipates the arrival of more passenger A350-900s for its mainline fleet, as well as the A350F for its cargo division. The airline also expects to welcome approximately 21 more 737 MAX 8s and 31 777-9s to its passenger fleet in the coming years.
The arrival of Singapore Airlines’ new 787-10 Dreamliner is a significant event, marking the first Dreamliner delivery since the pandemic began. With more aircraft deliveries planned in the near future, Singapore Airlines is poised for growth and expansion in the post-pandemic era. As the aviation industry continues to recover, the airline’s ongoing commitment to its fleet renewal strategy and investment in cutting-edge aircraft will likely serve to enhance its competitiveness and customer experience.
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