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Boeing: Commercial 787 flights to restart in weeks

March 14, 2013 @ 11:30 pm

TOKYO (AP) - Boeing said Friday it sees commercial flights of its grounded 787 jets resuming "within weeks" even though it has not pinpointed the cause of battery overheating.

Boeing Co. Chief Project Engineer Michael Sinnett outlined a fix centered on a new design for the lithium-ion battery system that has many layers of safeguards to prevent overheating. It also has measures to contain any problems if malfunctions do occur.

"We could be back up and going in weeks and not months," Sinnett told reporters at a Tokyo hotel. A third of safety tests have already been completed. A Japanese official said it was possible flights could resume next month.

The 787 fleet was grounded worldwide by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, its counterparts in Japan and other nations in January, following a battery fire in a Dreamliner parked in Boston and an overheated battery that led to an emergency landing of another 787 in Japan.

All Nippon Airways, a major Japanese carrier, was the launch customer for the technologically advanced Dreamliner planes. With Japan Airlines another customer, about half the 787 jets in use are with Japanese carriers.

The Boeing executives sought to allay flier fears about the 787 by repeatedly stressing their commitment to safety.

They said it would take too long to figure out what had specifically caused the problems in Boston and southwestern Japan but the new design would ensure 787s are safe.

Boeing came up with 80 possible causes for the battery failures, categorized them into four groups, and came up with design adjustments such as better insulation between each battery cell so any malfunctions won't spread. That was to allow the 787 to be back in the air more promptly, they said.

There were also changes to wiring for the battery, aimed at preventing overheating, and a new enclosure for the battery that would eliminate fire risk.

The enclosure has a direct vent to carry battery vapors outside the airplane, and small holes at the bottom of the battery case will allow moisture to drain from the battery, according to Boeing. The battery charger is also being adapted to beef up safety, it said.

While executives acknowledged that final approval would have to come from the FAA, and didn't rule out further delays to ensure safety, they said they were in close contact with the FAA and didn't foresee any long delays.

"It's a safe airplane. We have no concerns at all about that," Sinnett said.

Boeing Executive Vice President Ray Conner offered his apologies to Japan for the problems.

"We do apologize for this situation," Conner said. He said he was in Japan to meet with aviation authorities and airlines, and the company had picked Japan as the place to outline the battery fix.

About a third of the plane is made by Japanese manufacturers, including GS Yuasa, which supplies the lithium-ion batteries.

Despite assurances from Boeing, it is unclear if travelers will have enough confidence in the 787 to book flights on them.

Both ANA and JAL have announced cancellations of hundreds of 787 flights through the end of May.

Still, once the FAA clears the jet, approval from Japanese aviation regulators is likely to be instant.

Transport Ministry official Yasuo Ishii said Japanese officials were part of the tests and certification in the U.S., and planned to go along with and be part of the FAA decision.

He said it was even possible commercial flights could resume as early as next month.

JAL spokesman Jian Yang said in a statement the airline sees the 787 tests going "to a new stage," and was ready to cooperate with others in the effort.

ANA also welcomed Boeing's plan.

"As the launch customer for the 787, ANA hopes for a resumption of flights as soon as possible, while putting safety as a top priority," it said.

Boeing executives played down fire risks, stressing that there was no fire in the Japan failure and that there was no major damage to the aircraft.

They said they would not hesitate to fly on the 787 or have their families fly on them.

They declined comment on questions about monetary compensations for the carriers, which are suffering losses because of flight cancellations.

___

Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at twitter.com/yurikageyama


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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Comments (10)


  • Add A Comment

  • CH wrote...
    my truck has fuses and overload relay to protect a circuit from fire -
    January 18, 2013 11:35 am
    ford are built tough!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ScoSher77 wrote...
    @CH
    February 1, 2013 9:10 pm
    Ford Motor Co. (F) is recalling more than 1 million trucks, including the F-150, the top-selling U.S. vehicle, because straps that secure fuel tanks to the vehicles may corrode and cause the tanks to fall. Yep, that's Ford tough alright! :)
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Different stuff
    January 21, 2013 5:33 pm
    Your fuses are downstream of the power source. If your battery goes into thermal runaway your truck's paint color will change to charcoal black. Oh, and your fuses will melt from all the heat!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rangerhawk wrote...
    I think if I was a Boeing Marketing exec
    January 21, 2013 10:10 pm
    I'd be asking my doc to put me on Lithium!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    out comes the fingers -
    January 22, 2013 1:25 am
    he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, how many people work at Boeing? he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it, he did it no he die it,
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    US investigators ask Boeing for battery history
    January 30, 2013 11:23 am
    Boeing said the files were on top of the batteries that burned up. So sorry Charlie.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Do you realize how utterly senseless you look when you post crap like this? Quit wasting space on this site.
    January 30, 2013 11:26 am
    why? your reading my everyone of post. Tag your it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    copper posts drunk
    January 31, 2013 7:05 pm
    No sense from him, as usual.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Japan to send investigators to US for 787 probe
    January 31, 2013 7:20 pm
    after getting the 787 plane plans, they will build the 787 in Japan.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    "within weeks" even though it has not pinpointed the cause of battery overheating.
    March 15, 2013 3:14 am
    safety not first. Profits are. Fire & smoke won't bring the plane down. Will lack of the battery?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }