Airlines warned about high altitude ice on Dreamliner
Fifteen airlines have been warned about the risk of ice forming on Boeing’s new 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner planes.
There have been six incidents – on five 747-8s and one 787 – since April when aircraft powered by General Electric engines lost power at high altitude, however all aircraft landed safely.
The issue – which affects some engines made by GE when planes fly near high-level thunderstorms – has led to Japan Airlines cancelling the Dreamliner on two international routes.
It has replaced the aircraft on its Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Singapore flights with other planes and has dropped plans to use the Dreamliner on its Tokyo-Sydney route from December, reports the BBC.
Other airlines warned about the icing problem include Lufthansa, United Airlines, an arm of United Continental Holdings and Cathay Pacific Airlines.
The latest issue only affects the Boeing 747-8 series and the new 787 Dreamliner.
Airlines have been told they must not fly the affected aircraft at high altitude within 50 nautical miles of thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals.
A Boeing spokesman said: "Boeing and JAL share a commitment to the safety of passengers and crews on board our airplanes.
"We respect JAL’s decision to suspend some 787 service on specific routes."
A GE spokesman said: ‘The aviation industry is experiencing a growing number of ice-crystal icing encounters in recent years as the population of large commercial airliners has grown, particularly in tropical regions of the world.
He added that GE and Boeing are attempting to modify the engine control system software in a bid to eliminate the problem.
The 787 Dreamliner has suffered a series of problems since its launch with the whole fleet grounded earlier this year due to repeated faults in the planes’ lithium-ion batteries.
Diane
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