Troubled Dreamliner battery failures ‘unprecedented’
The crisis for Boeing’s Dreamliner continues as investigators call the multiple battery failures "unprecedented".
At a US press conference yesterday, the National Transportation Safety Board chair Deborah Hersman said it is a "very serious safety concern".
She said, "We do not expect to see fire events on board aircrafts."
The Board has determined that the battery that failed on a Boston JAL flight had experienced a "thermal runaway" and a "short circuit".
Hersman added: "These events should not happen as far as design of the aircraft. There are multiple systems to protect against a battery event like this. Those systems did not work as intended, we need to understand why."
While Boeing’s Dreamliners remain parked and grounded, the company issued a statement that said they were continuing to assist the NTSB and government agencies in the US and Japan responsible for investigating the incidents.
Boeing says it is working "around the clock" to resolve the issue and return the 787 fleet to flight status.
Thomson is scheduled to get delivery of its first 787 next month and begin flying by May while British Airways is due to receive its first 787 in May.
Despite Thomson and BA being fully committed to the aircraft, see previous story, the temporary grounding of the new aircraft could lead to their deliveries being delayed.
By Gretchen Kelly and Diane Evans
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