Transportation Secretary not sold on proposed Boeing 787 fixes

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he’s going to be asking a lot more questions before he signs off on proposed fixes to batteries on Boeing’s troubled 787 Dreamliner, he told The Wall Street Journal Wednesday.

While Boeing says it is confident it can get the 787 back in the air quickly once federal regulators sign off on new measures to prevent meltdowns like the ones that burned batteries on two Dreamliners in January, LaHood’s comments are a strong statement that gaining government approval could drag on even longer.

The Federal Aviation Administration is considering a plan that Boeing submitted on Feb. 22 for fixing the batteries. The FAA has said it expects its experts to recommend this week whether to accept the plan.

But although FAA insiders are reportedly urging approval of Boeing’s proposal to alter the batteries and install fire-resistant containers, LaHood – who oversees the FAA – must sign off on the proposal. And he is making clear he wants experts to determine the cause, reiterating his vow the 787 wouldn’t resume passenger service until experts are “1,000 percent sure,” of the plane’s safety, according to the Journal.

Japanese experts are also continuing their own investigation and reportedly considering further measures, which could also delay the resumption of commercial 787 service, at least for that country’s airlines.

In the meantime, the National Transportation Safety Board plans to release an update Thursday about its investigation into the battery meltdown on a parked Japanese Airlines Dreamliner in Boston. But it’s not expected to report much new on a probable cause.

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