Boeing’s (Chicago) CEOย Jim McNerney has urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) to allow the grounded 787 to return to airline revenue service following the changes that have been made to the battery system according to this report by Reuters.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Brandon Farris.ย Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner N787BA (msn 40690) is pictured flying a previous test flight.
Boeing (Chicago) could be facing a new challenge for its grounded 787 according to this report by Reuters. The 787 was designed to fly long thin over-water-flights. Will the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permit the new type to fly these routes once again (at least initially) once it is allowed to fly again? ย ETOPS could be reduced to only two hours. If this is correct, the business case for the new type is severely hurt for this period and the affected airlines will be asking Boeing for further compensation until they are able to fly these long thin routes once again in the most efficient manner.
Reuters raises these concerns. Read the full article: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. Some routes like Tokyo-Boston will not be able to be flown with the 787 if there are any ETOPS restrictions once the grounded order is rescinded. JAL‘sย Boeing 787-8 JA828J (msn 38438) in the special Sora wo Tobu – Flying Sky motif approaches Tokyo (Narita) for landing.
JAL-Japan Airlines:ย 
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) (Washington) and Boeing (Chicago) are apparently at odds from a recent briefing on the 787 in Tokyo over some comments that were reportedly made by Boeing officials according to this report by the Seattle Times.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. All of the 787s are grounded except limited test aircraft. United’s 787-8 N20904 (msn 34824) is pictured at Los Angeles before the official grounding.
Boeing (Chicago) is now testing the 787 batteries to a new standard that it originally helped to develop but never used in the original certification testing according to this excellent report by Reuters.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. JAL’sย Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner JA822J (msn 34832) climbs away from Tokyo (Narita) when it was flying.
JAL-Japan Airlines:ย
Boeing (Chicago) believes the grounded 787 could be flying “within weeks” with a fortified power pack that would eliminate the possibility of a battery fire according to this report by Reuters and statement by Boeing. This assumes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) will approve the final process and fix after testing which it has approved.
Boeing issued this statement as an update:
Boeing hasย announced that a comprehensive set of improvements that will add several layers of additional safety features to the lithium-ion batteries on 787 commercial jetliners are in production and could be ready for initial installation within the next few weeks. New enclosures for 787 batteries also are being built and will be installed in airplanes in the weeks ahead.
These improvements, which continue to undergo extensive certification testing, will allow operators to resume commercial flights with their 787s as soon as testing is complete and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other international regulators grant their final approval.
The improvements include enhanced production and operating processes, improved battery design features and a new battery enclosure.
“As soon as our testing is complete and we obtain regulatory approvals, we will be positioned to help our customers implement these changes and begin the process of getting their 787s back in the air,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner. “Passengers can be assured that we have completed a thorough review of the battery system and made numerous improvements that we believe will make it a safer, more reliable battery system.” Battery system changes include changes to the battery itself, the battery charging unit and the battery installation.
Earlier this week the FAA approved Boeing’s certification plan, which lays out the discrete testing to be done to demonstrate that the battery improvements address the conditions laid out in the Airworthiness Directive that has suspended 787 commercial operations.
Development Team Created Solution
The enhancements to the battery system address causal factors identified by the Boeing technical team as possible causes of battery failure. The technical team’s findings also were verified by an independent group of lithium-ion battery experts from a number of industries, universities and national laboratories.
“We’ve come up with a comprehensive set of solutions that result in a safer battery system,” said Mike Sinnett, vice president and chief project engineer, 787 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “We have found a number of ways to improve the battery system and we don’t let safety improvements go once they are identified. We incorporate them into our processes and products.”
Enhanced Production Controls and Operating Processes
The first layer of improvements is taking place during the manufacture of the batteries in Japan. Boeing teamed with Thales, the provider of the integrated power conversion system, and battery maker GS Yuasa to develop and institute enhanced production standards and tests to further reduce any possibility for variation in the production of the individual cells as well as the overall battery.
“We’ve all developed a better understanding of the sensitivities of this technology to variations during the manufacturing process,” said Sinnett. “And we all feel the need to increase monitoring of this process on an ongoing basis.”
Four new or revised tests have been added to screen cell production, which now includes 10 distinct tests. Each cell will go through more rigorous testing in the month following its manufacture including a 14-day test during which readings of discharge rates are being taken every hour. This new procedure started in early February and the first cells through the process are already complete. There are more than a dozen production acceptance tests that must be completed for each battery.
Boeing, Thales and GS Yuasa have also decided to narrow the acceptable level of charge for the battery, bothย by lowering the highest charge allowed and raising the lower level allowed for discharge. Two pieces of equipment in the battery system โ the battery monitoring unit and the charger are being redesigned to the narrower definition. The battery charger will also be adapted to soften the charging cycle to put less stress on the battery during charging.
Improved Battery Design Features
Changes inside the battery will help to reduce the chances of a battery fault developing and help to further isolate any fault that does occur so that it won’t cause issues with other parts of the battery.
To better insulate each of the cells in the battery from one another and from the battery box, two kinds of insulation will be added. An electrical insulator is being wrapped around each battery cell to electrically isolate cells from each other and from the battery case, even in the event of a failure. Electrical and thermal insulation installed above, below and between the cells will help keep the heat of the cells from impacting each other.
Wire sleeving and the wiring inside the battery will be upgraded to be more resistant to heat and chafing and new fasteners will attach the metallic bars that connect the eight cells of the battery. These fasteners include a locking mechanism.
Finally, a set of changes is being made to the battery case that contains the battery cells and the battery management unit. Small holes at the bottom will allow moisture to drain away from the battery and larger holes on the sides will allow a failed battery to vent with less impact to other parts of the battery.
New Battery Enclosure
The battery case will sit in a new enclosure made of stainless steel. This enclosure will isolate the battery from the rest of the equipment in the electronic equipment bays. It also will ensure there can be no fire inside the enclosure, thus adding another layer of protection to the battery system. The enclosure features a direct vent to carry battery vapors outside the airplane.
New titanium fixtures are being installed in the electronics equipment bays to ensure the housing is properly supported.
“Our first lines of improvements, the manufacturing tests and operations improvements, significantly reduce the likelihood of a battery failure. The second line of improvements, changes to the battery, helps stop an event and minimize the effect of a failure within the battery if it does occur. And the third line of improvements, the addition of the new enclosure, isolates the battery so that even if all the cells vent, there is no fire in the enclosure and there is no significant impact to the airplane,” said Sinnett.
Testing Status
Testing to gain FAA approval of the battery enhancements has already started, with the FAA’s permission.
During engineering testing, which occurs prior to certification testing, the team demonstrated that the new housing could safely contain a battery failure that included the failure of all eight cells within the battery. The “ultimate” load is the equivalent of 1.5 times the maximum force ever expected to be encountered during a battery failure. The housing easily withstood this pressure and did not fail until the pressure was more than three times the ultimate load.
Through another test, the team demonstrated that fire cannot occur within the new enclosure. Its design eliminates oxygen, making the containment unit self-inerting. Inerting is a step above fire detection and extinguishing as it prevents a fire from ever occurring. The design also vents all vapors by venting directly outside of the airplane rather than into the equipment bay.
“We put this new design through a rigorous set of tests. We tried to find a way to introduce a fire in the containment but it just wouldn’t happen. Even when we introduced a flammable gas in the presence of an ignition source, the absence of oxygen meant there was no fire.
“We drew from the new industry standard, DO311, established by RTCA, to establish our testing plan,” said Sinnett. “These standards weren’t available when we set the testing plan for the baseline battery and they helped us ensure the new design is robust and safe. We intend to show, during certification, that the 787 battery meets all objectives of DO-311 and only deviates from specific requirements where the 787-unique items are not covered by the standards.” RTCA is a not-for-profit organization that serves as a federal advisory committee in establishing guidelines for the aviation industry.
Working towards Resuming Flights
“We are following all of the necessary protocols to get our new design fully approved and properly installed so that we can help our customers start flying as soon as possible. We’re simultaneously moving out on an effort to resume deliveries but completing our certification work and getting the delivered fleet flying again is our first priority,” said Conner. “Our customers and their passengers have been incredibly patient as we have worked through this process and we thank them very sincerely for their continued support and confidence in the 787.
“The more-electric architecture of the 787 brings real value not just to the airlines but to our industry. By reducing fuel use, we are reducing our environmental footprint. This battery technology is an important part of the more-electric architecture, which is helping us to cut fuel use by more than 10 billion gallons of fuel over the life of this program.
“New technologies require extra attention and hard work, but the benefits are real.”
Read the full Reuters story: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Paul Denton. Now grounded,ย Qatar Airways‘ Boeing 787-8 A7-BCL (msn 38330) completes its final approach into Dubai International Airport.
Qatar Airways:ย 
Boeing (Chicago) has received approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) of the company’s plan to test and certify improvements to the 787’s battery system. Successful completion of each step within the plan will result in the FAA’s approval to resume commercial 787 flights.
“Our top priority is the integrity of our products and the safety of the passengers and crews who fly on them,” said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney. “Our team has been working around the clock to understand the issues and develop a solution based on extensive analysis and testing following the events that occurred in January. Today’s approval from the FAA is a critical and welcome milestone toward getting the fleet flying again and continuing to deliver on the promise of the 787,” heย said.
Ray Conner, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said that the company’s focus has been on developing a permanent resolution.
“Working with internal and external experts in battery technology, we have proposed a comprehensive set of solutions designed to significantly minimize the potential for battery failure while ensuring that no battery event affects the continued safe operation of the airplane,” said Conner.
“Our proposal includes three layers of improvements. First, we’ve improved design features of the battery to prevent faults from occurring and to isolate any that do. Second, we’ve enhanced production, operating and testing processes to ensure the highest levels of quality and performance of the battery and its components. Third, in the unlikely event of a battery failure, we’ve introduced a new enclosure system that will keep any level of battery overheating from affecting the airplane or being noticed by passengers,” Conner said.
Design feature improvements for the battery include the addition of new thermal and electrical insulation materials and other changes. The enhanced production and testing processes include more stringent screening of battery cells prior to battery assembly. Operational improvements focus on tightening of the system’s voltage range. A key feature of the new enclosure is that it ensures that no fire can develop in the enclosure or in the battery. Additional details of the new design will be provided by Boeing in the days ahead.
Boeing made its certification plan proposal to the FAA in late February. Today the agency agreed that the proposed changes and the detailed test plans address the conditions that resulted in the suspension of 787 operations.
The FAA also granted Boeing permission to begin flight test activities on two airplanes: line number 86, which will conduct tests to demonstrate that the comprehensive set of solutions work as intended in flight and on the ground; and ZA005, which is scheduled to conduct engine improvement tests unrelated to the battery issue. Additional testing may be scheduled as needed.
The certification plan calls for a series of tests that show how the improved battery system will perform in normal and abnormal conditions. The test plans were written based on the FAA’s standards as well as applicable guidelines published by the Radio Technical Commission on Aeronautics (RTCA), an advisory committee that provides recommendations on ways to meet regulatory requirements. The RTCA guidelines were not available when the original 787 battery certification plan was developed.
“We have a great deal of confidence in our solution set and the process for certifying it,” said Conner. “Before 787s return to commercial service, our customers and their passengers want assurance that the improvements being introduced will make this great airplane even better. That’s what this test program will do.”
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean.ย ANA’s (All Nippon Airways) Boeing 787-8 JA801A (msn 34488) in the special Dreamliner special colors lands at Everett (Paine Field) with Boeing’s facilities in the background.
ANA-All Nippon Airways:ย
Boeing (Chicago) yesterday proposed a fix to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concerning the 787 battery fires according to this report by Reuters. However investigators have not yet determined what caused two batteries to overheat last month. All 787s remain grounded.
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing. United Airlines has taken its grounded 787-8s out of its schedule throughย June 5 pending a fix, except for the Denver-Tokyo Narita route scheduled for a tentative launch in May. 787-8 N26902 (msn 34822) climbs away from Los Angeles International Airport.
United Airlines:ย
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the Boeing Company (Chicago) permission to conduct test flights again of the 787 if the batteries are properly monitored.
Meanwhile theย U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the FAA must review the “special conditions” used in approving lithium-ion battery use on the 787. The FAA originally considered the chance of a battery fire as very remote in approving the use. This assumption has proven to be a false assumption. Will lithium-ion batteries be permitted for the future use of the 787? If not, this could be a major delay in the program and a major financial hit for Boeing (787 operators are now talking about compensation).
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
A very good video by the NTSB Chairwoman on the JAL-Japan Airlines 787 battery fire at Boston:
Meanwhile Boeing has issued this statement:
“Boeing welcomes the progress reported by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the 787 investigation, including that the NTSB has identified the origin of the event as having been within the battery. The findings discussed demonstrated a narrowing of the focus of the investigation to short circuiting observed in the battery, while providing the public with a better understanding of the nature of the investigation.
The company remains committed to working with the NTSB, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and our customers to maintain the high level of safety the traveling public expects and that the air transport system has delivered. We continue to provide support to the investigative groups as they work to further understand these events and as we work to prevent such incidents in the future. The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.
The 787 was certified following a rigorous Boeing test program and an extensive certification program conducted by the FAA. We provided testing and analysis in support of the requirements of the FAA special conditions associated with the use of lithium ion batteries. We are working collaboratively to address questions about our testing and compliance with certification standards, and we will not hesitate to make changes that lead to improved testing processes and products.”
Hopefully for the sake of the company, the program and the airlines involved a quick solution can be found. However the bigger issue remains; areย lithium-ion batteries safe on airplanes?
Airbus, according to reports, may be taking a different approach now with the A350 given Boeing’s battery problems with the 787.
Copyright Photo: Nick Dean. JAL’s Boeing 787-8 JA824J (msn 34834) lands back at Paine Field near Everett.
JAL-Japan Airlines:ย 
JAL-Japan Airlines (Tokyo) will operate a Boeing 777 flight on the Tokyo (Narita)-San Diego route on January 30. It is unclear at this time if the flight will continue beyond this single roundtrip flight. The route has been suspended since the Boeing 787-8 was grounded.
Read the full report from U-T San Diego: CLICK HERE
Copyright Photo: James Helbock. Tokyo meets San Diego. Flying over an appropriate JAL advertising billboard about the new service, Boeing 787-8 JA827J (msn 34837) completes its final approach over downtown San Diego.
JAL-Japan Airlines:ย 
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) (Washington) has grounded all N-numbered Boeing 787s (United Airlines is the only U.S. operator) due to the on-going problems with the batteries. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an emergency airworthiness directive that requires U.S. 787 operators to temporarily cease operations. According to this report by Reuters, “the FAA said airlines would have to demonstrate that the batteries involved were safe before they could resume flying, but gave no details on when that could occur.”
Read the full report: CLICK HERE
Boeing issued the following statement:
Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney issued the following statement after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive that requires U.S. 787 operators to temporarily cease operations and recommends other regulatory agencies to follow suit:
“The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.
“Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as quickly as possible. The company is working around the clock with its customers and the various regulatory and investigative authorities. We will make available the entire resources of The Boeing Company to assist.
“We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity.ย We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787’s safety and to return the airplanes to service.
“Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and the inconvenience to them and their passengers.”
This is the major issue for Boeing and its 787 customers. It also raises questions about the FAA certification process.
Here is a list of how other countries and operators are reacting:
EASA (Europe) will follow the FAA and ground the aircraft according to Reuters: CLICK HERE
Japan has grounded the 787s of ANA and JAL (who had already grounded their fleets): CLICK HERE. JAL is also canceling the new Tokyo-San Diego route.
LAN Airlines grounded its three 787-8s: CLICK HERE
Qatar Airways has grounded its five 787-8s. Read the report by Reuters: CLICK HERE
United Airlines grounded its 787-8s and substituted other aircraft for the 787 flights or rebooked its customers.
Meanwhile LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw) wins the “worst timing award” for its press release and the Chicago O’Hare inaugural flight. Right before the FAA grounded the aircraft, the Polish airline issued the following announcement:
LOT Polish Airlines will inaugurate new 787 Dreamliner nonstop service from Chicago to Warsaw on Wednesday, January 16, and make aviation history as the first airline with scheduled Dreamliner service from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport.
LOT is the first European carrier to operate the Dreamliner with a total of eight aircraft to be in their fleet.ย LOT’s Dreamliner inaugural flight from Chicago to Warsaw is followed closely by Toronto on February 1 and New York’s JFK on February 3.
LOT’s inbound Dreamliner special flight from Warsaw is scheduled to touch down at Chicago’s O’Hare airport at 6:55 p.m. ย The Dreamliner trip from Chicago will depart at 9:55 p.m., and arrive the next day in Warsaw at 1:50 p.m.ย Typically the flight will depart Warsaw at 5:25 p.m. and arrives in Chicago at 9:20 a.m. the same day.ย The flights were previously operated with Boeing 767s.
LOT’s Dreamliner has 18 seats in Elite Club (business class), 21 in Premium Club (premium economy) plus 213 seats in economy class.
In preparation for the Dreamliner flights, LOT has implemented a new design inspired by traditional and famous symbols of Poland. This design is reflected in the new aircraft interiors, inflight menus with its new selection of beverages, on-board equipment, toys for children and other amenities. The quality of service offered is an additional asset with specially trained Elite Fleet cabin crews, new comfortable classes of service-Elite Club and Premium Club- as well as the unique product on board the aircraft.
January 16, 2013 will probably go down in history as the darkest day for the Boeing Aircraft Company. William E. Boeing is probably rolling in his grave.
Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best. Boeing 787-8 SP-LRA (msn 35938) lands at London (Heathrow) prior to the grounding.
LOT Polish Airlines:ย 
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