Dreamliner nightmare almost over
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ended a ban on Dreamliner passenger flights by clearing a battery fix by Boeing.
New Dreamliner 787 deliveries will resume and come with a fireproof lithium-ion battery system.
The FAA’s approval ends a three-month ban on Dreamliner flights.
Technically speaking, the FAA’s ruling currently only applies to United Airlines as the only US carrier with the new high-tech jet.
However, the administration’s “airworthiness directive” is expected to set the standard for regulators in Japan, Europe and elsewhere to follow suit.
The FAA said the cost for United Airlines to retrofit the battery system in its six Dreamliner jets would amount to US$2.8 million.
The Dreamliner was grounded after two lithium-ion batteries overheated in separate incidents in January of this year.
The two planes involved are owned by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, which together own about half of the fleet of 50 Dreamliners delivered so far.
Boeing said it expected to resume deliveries early next month and finish retrofitting the 50 jets already in service by mid-May.
United Airlines plans to begin domestic flights using the 787 in May, and will launch the Denver to Narita Tokyo route on June 10, "although that will depend on successful completion of planned modifications ahead of that date", the airline said.
Ian Jarrett
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