Boeing Battery Was a Concern Before Failure (787)

New York Times ^ | January 29, 2013 | CHRISTOPHER DREW, HIROKO TABUCHI and JAD MOUAWAD

[Yo-Yo]

Boeing Battery Was a Concern Before Failure

Even before two battery failures led to the grounding of all Boeing 787 jets this month, the lithium-ion batteries used on the aircraft had experienced multiple problems that raised questions about their reliability.

Officials at All Nippon Airways, the jets’ biggest operator, said in an interview on Tuesday that it replaced 10 of the batteries in the months before fire in one plane and smoke in another led regulators around the world to ground the jets.

The airline said it told Boeing of the replacements as they occurred but was not required to report them to safety regulators because they were not considered a safety issue and no flights were canceled or delayed.

[Yo-Yo]

It may well be more than a year before the 787 returns to flight, which is going to decimate Boeing.

[pepsionice]

They’ve probably got two more weeks max....before total lack of confidence occurs. This would be a big enough mess to destroy Boeing, if you ask me. They’d have to ask Congress for billions...to survive.

[Timber Rattler]

The Federal Aviation Administration decided in 2007 to allow Boeing to use the lithium-ion batteries instead of older, more stable types as long as it took safety measures to prevent or contain a fire. But once Boeing put in those safeguards, it did not revisit its basic design even as more evidence surfaced of the risks involved, regulators said.

Boeing's toast.

[raybbr]

Why not go back to NiCads or NiMH batteries?

[Yo-Yo]

Why not go back to NiCads or NiMH batteries?

They may well have to. But that process of redesigning and flight certifying different batteries, battery charging system, and battery mounting system (larger physical size of NiMH for same energy) will take at least a year.

[Happy Rain]

Yeah, the company may have to shut down their high cost union plants and build more here in South Carolina...

...too bad/s

BTW, I heard the new batteries used by Boeing are the same that make the Chevy Volt a fiery death trap.
I think the Government has a hand in this as well...like making the company “go green” and buy from Obama’s crooked crony companies.

[rawhide]

Boeing needs to replace all these new ion batteries with the older more stable batteries. They really have no choice!

[caltaxed]

Boeing is the largest exporter in the US and too big to fail. Someone should have been riding heard on the EEs, as those guys can’t tie their own shoes.

[Yo-Yo]

Someone should have been riding heard on the EEs, as those guys can’t tie their own shoes.

The way Boeing "designed" the 787 was different from every previous airplane they manufactured. This time they let out specifications, and let outside companies design the subsystems.

The battery system was sourced by Thales, with components from Yuasa and Securaplane.

[caltaxed]

The battery system was sourced by Thales, with components from Yuasa and Securaplane.

I have a Yuasa rotary table in the garage. I really need to take precautions to keep it from overheating. Maybe mount some thermocouples on the handles or something. I thought they were a solid company but have my doubts now!

[GreatMan]

“The way Boeing “designed” the 787 was different from every previous airplane they manufactured.”

Built all over the world and assembled like IKEA furniture!

[Carry_Okie]

The Boeing Aircraft I knew would NEVER have let this happen. “Boeing Aircraft Spec” was once a watchword for reliability and safety.