Battery tests may see 787s take off again
The new battery design includes better protection in case a battery overheats.
The FAA could still demand changes if problems develop in the laboratory and flight tests.
Boeing hopes to begin fitting its redesigned batteries in the grounded 787 fleet by next month and resume commercial flights quickly after that, but government officials are not sure the process will move that fast.
But the decision to start the tests is a big step in Boeing's efforts to put the Dreamliner jets back in the air.
The 50 787s delivered to airlines have been grounded since January when two of the aircraft developed battery problems - one battery ignited while the plane was parked in Boston and another forced an emergency landing in Japan when it began to smoke.
Boeing engineers have been scrambling to insulate the eight cells in each battery, build a stronger battery case and create a smoke-venting system.
"This comprehensive series of tests will show us whether the proposed battery improvements will work as designed," said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We won't allow the plane to return to service unless we're satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft and its passengers."
The National Transportation Safety Board found that, in the Boston episode, a short circuit in one cell caused the battery to overheat and ignite on January 7.
But investigators in Japan have raised the possibility that a battery on another 787 nine days later started smouldering because it might have been hit by a surge of electrical current from another part of the plane.
Jay Whitacre, an associate professor of materials science at Carnegie Mellon University, said Boeing's approach was technically reasonable even if the cause of the battery fire was not known. Boeing's system was designed to contain any failure of a single cell and prevent it from spreading to the rest of the plane.
"They are taking a systemic approach, and not a find-the-problem approach," he said. "They also recognise that figuring out what went wrong is a very complicated question, like a crime scene investigation."
But not everyone was comfortable with this approach.
"The real issue here is to develop a robust storage system that is immune to fire," said Donald Sadoway, a materials chemistry professor at MIT. "I am not hearing anything about how to make that battery fire-resistant."
The FAA said it was continuing a review of the 787's design, production and manufacturing.
Mr LaHood said the planes "won't fly until we're 1000 per cent sure they are safe to fly".
Boeing officials said they thought they had identified the most likely ways the batteries could fail.
They said the changes would virtually eliminate the chances of future troubles and protect the plane and its passengers if a problem did arise.
Some battery experts said they would feel more comfortable if a precise cause was found and the problems that happened on the two flights in January could be replicated in a lab.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The FAA approved Boeing’s plan to run laboratory and flight tests of fixes for the battery problems that have grounded the 787 Dreamliner since January. For investors, this approval is a key regulatory step because it starts the process that could allow the grounded fleet to be retrofitted and returned to service if the tests show the redesigned system is safe.
Boeing’s redesign includes better protection if a battery overheats, insulation between the eight cells in each battery, a stronger battery case and a smoke‑venting system to contain and manage any failure. The company says the changes are intended to contain a single‑cell failure and prevent it from spreading.
Boeing hopes to start fitting the redesigned batteries into the grounded 787 fleet as soon as next month and resume commercial flights shortly afterward. However, government officials and the FAA have said the pace is uncertain and the planes won’t fly again until regulators are satisfied the fixes work.
Investigations are ongoing. The National Transportation Safety Board found that a short circuit in one cell caused the Boston battery to overheat and ignite. Investigators in Japan suggested another battery may have smouldered after a possible surge of electrical current from another part of the plane. A definitive single cause has not been confirmed.
Yes. The FAA has said it could demand additional changes if problems appear during the laboratory or flight tests. The agency is also continuing a broader review of the 787’s design, production and manufacturing before allowing the fleet back into commercial service.
Opinions are mixed: Jay Whitacre of Carnegie Mellon called Boeing’s systemic approach technically reasonable because it aims to contain a single‑cell failure, while MIT’s Donald Sadoway said he wants a more robust, fire‑resistant storage system and is concerned the solution may not address fire immunity. Some experts also want the exact cause replicated and proven in the lab.
Boeing officials say the redesign should virtually eliminate the chances of future trouble and protect the plane and passengers if a problem arises. But regulators and some experts remain cautious: the redesign’s effectiveness must be proven in FAA‑supervised lab and flight tests, and the FAA could still require further changes.
Investors should monitor FAA test outcomes and any regulatory statements, whether the FAA requests additional modifications, the timeline for retrofitting the grounded fleet, and results of the FAA’s ongoing review of the 787’s design and manufacturing. Those developments will influence when the Dreamliners can return to service and could affect Boeing’s operational outlook.
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