Airbus and Boeing debuted new jets on the same day (BA)

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March 31, 2017 9:06 PM

The Airbus A319neo and Boeing 787-10 made their maiden flights on Friday.

The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner's first flight.

Airbus and Boeing debuted new airliners on Friday.

The Boeing 787-10 took off for the first time from the company's North Charleston, South Carolina, facility just after 9:30 a.m. for a four-hour test flight.

Earlier in the day, the Airbus A319neo also made its maiden test flight from the company's factory in Hamburg, Germany, to its headquarters in Toulouse, France.

The newest 787 is the largest member of Boeing's state-of-the-art Dreamliner family, with room for 330 passengers in a two-class layout. The Dash 10 can hold 14% more seats and carry 15% more cargo than the current 787-9.

"I want to say thanks to the team," Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg said on a webcast of the flight. "This is a big, big milestone for us and our customers."

With a range of 7,400 miles, the 787-10 is designed to make ultra-long-haul flights while delivering 25% better fuel economy than other airliners its size. The plane, which was unveiled in February in a ceremony featuring President Donald Trump, has been touted as a possible replacement for older versions of Boeing's game-changing 777-200ER.

Boeing has taken 149 orders for the aircraft, which has a list price of $312.8 million. The 787-10's largest customers are Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines — each has 30 on order.

According to Airbus, the A319neo's maiden flight was used to assess the aircraft's general handling characteristics and the functionality of its main systems. Although the flight took off from Hamburg, the A319neo prototype's test program will be based in Toulouse.

The A319neo is the smallest member of Airbus' next-generation neo — new engine option — series of airliners. Based on the A320neo that's in service, the A319neo has room for 160 passengers and is designed for short or medium-range flights.

In addition, the smaller Airbus will specialize in flights into or out of airports with tough operating conditions such as high altitude, high heat, or short runways.

Airbus has 55 orders for the $99.5 million jet. Its largest customers are Frontier Airlines and Colombia's Avianca.

Earlier this week, Embraer's new E195-E2 airliner also made its maiden flight. The next-generation E2 took off from Embraer's facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil, for a two-hour test flight.

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