Is the Boeing 787 Ready to Fly?
Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) has said, once again, that its deeply trouble 787 will take to the air again soon. Battery problems with the plane have kept it grounded for two months. Regulators in Japan, and particularly the United States, have combed through the mechanics of the plane but have not found root causes. Boeing recently was cleared to make test flights.
While Boeing expects a quick resolution, the FAA has said more than once that there may be no quick resolution. According to Reuters:
Boeing, which has Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to test its new battery for certification, said Friday it will encase the redesigned power pack in a steel box, pack it with added insulation, heat-resistant material and spacers, drill drain holes to remove moisture, and vent any gases from overheating directly to the atmosphere outside the aircraft.
"If we look at the normal process and the way in which we work with the FAA, and we look at the testing that's ahead of us, it is reasonable to expect we could be back up and going in weeks, not months," the 787′s chief engineer, Mike Sinnett, said at a briefing in Tokyo.
Filed under: 24/7 Wall St. Wire, Aerospace Tagged: BA, featured
