Tag Archives: lithium ion batteries

Canada follows the U.S. and bans the shipment of lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger flights in Canada

The government of Canada through the Minister of Transport has issued this statement:

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, today announced a suite of amendments to Canada’s Transport of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR). The updates include a ban on transporting lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger flights in Canada, as well as new labelling and Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) requirements for certain dangerous goods.

In 2014, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopted a ban on the shipment of lithium metal batteries as cargo aboard passenger aircraft. The main concern is that if ignited, they can cause any nearby batteries to overheat and catch fire as well. Most passenger airlines in Canada have already voluntarily banned lithium metal batteries as cargo.

The prohibition comes into effect on January 1, 2015, to comply with the ICAO ban. It applies to all shipments of lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger planes within Canada. It does not apply to batteries already contained in or packed with equipment, but only to those packaged and shipped separately. The ban will not affect travellers’ personal devices such as laptops and smartphones, which use lithium ion batteries.

Other updates to the TDGR include:

Incorporating Protective Direction (PD) 33 into the TGDR. Introduced in April 2014, PD33 ordered rail shippers of ethanol, petroleum crude oil, gasoline, and other petroleum products to have an approved Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) in place to ensure proper emergency response in the event of an incident or release involving these flammable liquids.

Adding ERAP requirements for petroleum sour crude oil and Alcohols N.O.S. (typically used to classify ethanol in the US), which were not previously included under PD33.
New United Nations (UN) product numbers for petroleum sour crude oil and biomedical waste.

Transport Canada held extensive consultations on the amendments with stakeholders from across Canada. The updates will align the TDGR with UN recommendations and other international norms.

Quick Facts

The new ban under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) applies only to lithium metal batteries shipped as cargo on passenger aircraft.

It does not apply to batteries already contained in devices, therefore passengers with medical equipment are not affected by the ban.

The U.S. has already banned the transportation of lithium metal batteries as cargo on passenger flights.

Airbus reverts back to nickel cadmium batteries for the A350 XWB program

Airbus (Toulouse), not wanting the same battery problems as Boeing with the 787, has invoked its “Plan B” to use the older technology of nickel cadmium batteries instead of the newer lithium ion batteries on its new A350 XWB program. Airbus issued this statement:

“Airbus is confident that the lithium ion (Li-ion) main battery architecture it has been developing with Saft and qualifying for the A350 XWB aircraft is robust and safe. The A350 XWB flight test program will continue as planned with the qualified Li-ion main batteries.

However, to date, the root causes of the two recent industry Li-ion main batteries incidents remain unexplained to the best of our knowledge. In this context, and with a view to ensuring the highest level of program certainty, Airbus has decided to activate its “Plan B” and therefore to revert back to the proven and mastered nickel cadmium main batteries for its A350 XWB program at Entry into Service (EIS). Airbus considers this to be the most appropriate way forward in the interest of program execution and A350 XWB reliability.

In parallel, Airbus has also launched additional maturity studies on Li-ion main batteries behavior in aerospace operations and will naturally take on board the findings of the ongoing official investigation.

As a result of making this decision now, Airbus does not expect it to impact the A350 XWB Entry Into Service schedule.”

Image: Airbus.

The FAA to allow Boeing to test fly the 787 again, the NTSB questions the FAA’s “special conditions” in allowing lithium-ion batteries

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 the 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; are 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.

JAL-Japan Airlines: