New Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in maiden flight A Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner lifts off for its first flight at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. THE next version of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the 787-9, took to the skies over Seattle for the first time this morning with a flight that lasted more than five hours. The new variant, which will make its global commercial debut with launch customer Air New Zealand, reached an altitude of 20,400 feet (6218m) and an airspeed of 250 knots (463km/h) which Boeing said was customary for a first flight. The pilots tested the aircraft's systems and structures as onboard equipment transmitted real-time data to a flight-test team on the ground in Seattle. The first test aircraft was powered by two Rolls Royce Trent 1000 engines but will be joined by two additional flight test aircraft, one of which will be powered by General Electric GEnx engines. The sleeker 787-9 is a 6m stretch on the 787-8 due to arrive in Australia early next month and enter service with Jetstar. It will carry 40 more passengers and fly additional 300 nautical miles (555km) using 20 per cent less fuel than similarly sized older aircraft. Air NZ is expected to get its first aircraft in the middle of next year and chief executive Christopher Luxon said today's flight was a big step forward for the airline's aspiration to further enhance its commercial performance. " We are hugely excited knowing that in less than a year Air New Zealand will be the first airline to take the 787-9 into commercial service," Mr Luxon said. The 787-9 will be a game changer for Air New Zealand. Not only is it significantly more fuel efficient than the aircraft it is replacing, the 787-9 also represents a significant growth opportunity for our business as it opens up the prospect of expanding our Pacific Rim footprint. Qantas has options and purchase rights on 50 787-9s but has yet to indicate if and when it will exercise them.