Boeing 787 news

[sn26567]

The certification flight on new battery system will take place in the coming days.

But before that, there will be one critical ground test, which will be undertaken on one of Boeing's original 787 test aircraft. This test will see the battery pushed to destruction to verify if the new containment and venting systems work as designed.

[earthman]

Ohh they should make a special espiode of Mythbusters for that!

[sn26567]

FAA might limit the ETOPS for the Boeing 787 with revamped battery systems. This would be a serious blow for Boeing, who will already incur claims of over 450 million dollars since the grounding. Airlines are likely to raise additional claims if the 787 is not allowed to fly trans-ocean routes.

The 787 had an ETOPS of 180 minutes and Boeing had asked the FAA to raise it to 330 minutes. This is n ot likely to happen soon. On the contrary, the jet faces the potential temporary loss of its ETOPS approval or a roll-back to 120 minutes. Some specific routes, such as Japan Airlines’ Tokyo-to-Boston flight, might have to be cancelled.

[RoMax]

LOT at the Miles&More website, not much information tough:
"Boeings 787 will start flying probably this summer!

Test flights of Dreamliners equipped with a new, improved control system will soon take place. Thereby our clients will again be able to enjoy comfortable flights on board of state-of-the-art planes.

Most probably our two Dreamliners will be the first that will start flying again. Boeing representatives declare their flexibility and support regarding necessary modifications of our planes. Additionally, a special team of engineers will be sent to Warsaw. They will support servicing Dreamliners throughout the entire year, on the spot. Soon we will invite our passengers to fly with Boeings 787."

[sn26567]

The Seattle Times and The Wall Street Journal both report that Boeing will fly a 787 test flight this Saturday, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the flight is a non-battery related test flight, while The Seattle Times writes that it is a FAA demonstration flight.

The flight will be conducted by the same aircraft (Line #86, the future LOT SP-LRC) that flew a test flight on March 25.

[sn26567]

The flight mentioned in the post above never took place, so both newspapers were wrong.

A new flight should take place today, as mentioned by Boeing itself. Still Line #86 (LOT's SP-LRC). Take-off any time soon now from Snohomish County (KPAE), Everett, WA to Grant Co Intl (KMWH), Moses Lake, WA. To be followed live: http://fr.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE272

Meanwhile, Air India is said to be seeking at least $37 million from Boeing to compensate their losses due to the 787 battery issues.

Edit: just took off !

[sn26567]

Now at Grant. Ready for a new take-off to Everett.

[sn26567]

Back home at Everett. Today's flight was unconnected to the battery fix; a certification flight is expected in the coming days.

[sn26567]

Air Berlin has currently 15 B787-8s on order. It has decided to switch this order to 787-9s, the same model ordered by its main shareholder Etihad. Air Berlin and Etihad now have combined 56 B787-9s on backlog.

Etihad expects the entry into service in December 2014. Air Berlin is still negotiating the delivery dates.

Meanwhile, Norwegian has published pictures of its first Dreamliner on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 252&type=1

[RoMax]

IAG and Boeing confirmed they are in talks for an additional order of 18 Dreamliners (conversion of their options) with possibly more to come for Iberia. They currently have 24 on order (mostly -9's, but also some -8's of which the first ones are supposed to enter service this year...of course it's the question if they'll make that).
Strange thing, some sources also mention IAG and Boeing are talking about a 747 order for Iberia, but in any case (either a 787 or 747 order), Iberia has to complete its restructuring first. Anyway, it rather seems to be a mistake (about the 747) than anything else, the other sources (including IAG) only talk about 787's for Iberia.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-0 ... t-for-more

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/ ... YD20130403

[sn26567]

Boeing 787 Line #86 (LOT SP-LRC) is back in the air for a routine test flight. The battery certification flight will occur in the coming days.

Follow the flight live: http://fr.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE272

Take-off (Picture Boeing):

[sn26567]

IAG and Boeing confirmed they are in talks for an additional order of 18 Dreamliners (conversion of their options) with possibly more to come for Iberia.

British Airways has 2 years to select a model for the 18 787s. It could indicate they might be a candidate for the 787-10X launch. IAG says indeed that these 787 will replace "some" 747-400s.

[RoMax]

British Airways has 2 years to select a model for the 18 787s. It could indicate they might be a candidate for the 787-10X launch. IAG says indeed that these 787 will replace "some" 747-400s.

Indeed, they don't mention the exact types, so I think the changes are quite high these orders are planned to be 787-10X orders. Still too small for 744 replacement, but I assume that was said taking in account some shifts in the network/fleet combination (less 744-sized aircraft of which they have quite a lot and more smaller aircraft?).

Btw, what I said about Iberia and a possible 747 order, that seemed to be a mistake indeed. In the respective article they already changed it to 787.

[RoMax]

Boeing sended some teams to Japan to help with the instalation of the new batteries, that will take about 5 days for each aircraft. The changes will be done in the same order as the deliveries happened, so ANA and JAL will be first. These are also the two with the biggest 787 fleets so far (I believe ANA already has 17).

If the new battery systems get through the tests, Boeing will ask the FAA to allow the 787's to fly again. ANA and JAL will have to wait until the Japanese authorities approve the new system as well.

ANA also says they will retrain their 200 787 pilots again this month on the two simulators they have to get them ready again from the moment they can fly their Dreamliners again. Currently all 787-flights are out of the system until the first of June, after which certain domestics flights are loaded with the 787. The bigger routes like to Seattle and San Jose have no 787's flights in the system so far.

[sn26567]

ANA planning to resume cargo-only 787 ops in June

ANA - All Nippon Airways (NH) is preparing to resume B787-8 operations in June, albeit, only for cargo operations. According to Reuters, ANA will resume cargo-only 787 flights to Germany in a bid to restore public confidence in the aircraft, which has been globally grounded after onboard lithium-ion batteries overheated in two Dreamliners in January. All Nippon Airways currently has seventeen 787-8s in its fleet.

Source: ch-aviation

[earthman]

DId they already forget how to fly the 787 then?

[sn26567]

Boeing Co may carry out a certification test flight of its grounded 787 Dreamliner with a revamped battery system on Friday (today). Yesterday the flight crew carried out a ground test for five hours on SP-LRC with ten people on board.

It's still unknown what caused the batteries to overheat, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. But Boeing came up with measures it says make the battery safe. It encased the battery in a steel box, changed the circuitry of the battery charger and added a titanium venting tube to expel heat and fumes outside the plane.

[earthman]

The lead-acid battery in my car has a venting tube leading to outside the car. The battery is located under the floor of the trunk, so inside the passenger compartment.

Now, I know lead-acid batteries might produce hydrogen gas when overcharged, and we all saw what that can do in Fukushima, and Li-Ion batteries are not supposed to produce volatile gasses, but still. If they figured it is a good idea to have a venting tube for such rare occurrences in a car, how come they did not think such a thing would be useful in a plane?

[sn26567]

Boeing Co may carry out a certification test flight of its grounded 787 Dreamliner with a revamped battery system on Friday (today).

Done! The final FAA certification flight was carried out today during a little more than two hours with the same aircraft, Line #86 (SP-LRC in LOT colours).

In addition to 9 Boeing people, there were two FAA representatives on board. According to the Boeing crew led by Captain Heather Ross, the flight was uneventful.

Boeing will turn in the final certification materials to the FAA in the coming days, with the data from today’s flight being submitted sooner.

Take-off from Paine Field, Everett:


And now what?

Under a best-case scenario, Boeing hopes to get a favourable decision from the FAA by mid-April and then anticipates several weeks of work assisting the eight airlines with 787s in installing and checking out the redesigned batteries and new containment system. If all goes well, full 787 service world-wide could resume by early June, according to people involved in the process.

[sn26567]

Another test flight with Line #86 (SP-LRC) today. The 787 is currently in flight conducting engine and component testing not related to the battery system. Still the same flight number BOE272, from Everett Snohomish County (KPAE) to Moses Lake Grant Co Intl (KMWH), and back to KPAE.

Live: http://fr.flightaware.com/live/flight/BOE272