By Allison Linn, NBC News – 1 dayThe Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday agreed to allow Boeing to carry out test flights of its new 787 model, which was founded by 16 January the battery after a fire in one plane and smoke in another.
In the context of an ongoing investigation focused on lithium-ion batteries in 787, also known as the Dreamliner, Boeing, the FAA agreed to collect data on batteries and electrical systems, while the plane is in the air.
"Public safety is our top priority," said the statement by the Minister of transport of the UNITED STATES Ray LaHood and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. "The test flights will be an important part of our efforts to ensure the safety of passengers and the return of those aircraft into service."
The test flights will be carried out by means of special airworthiness certificates, which will require pre-flight check battery and cables, and continuous monitoring of the battery during flight.
Boeing has marshaled a team of experts who are "working around the clock" to solve the problems of the 787 and return the fleet to service, according to a statement from the company.
The FAA's decision does not affect the 50 Dreamliners, which have already been delivered to customers and will remain grounded.
The report comes as the National Transportation Safety Board continue to investigate what caused a fire at the Japan Airlines Boeing 787, while it was parked at the gate in Boston a month ago. Days later, all Nippon airlines 787 was forced to make an emergency landing after smoke was in the air as the error message indicates that there is a problem with the battery.
No one was injured, but the incident was not serious enough, the Federal Aviation Administration an unusual step of Grounding for the 787 until it could be sure that the batteries are safe.
In a briefing with reporters on Thursday, NTSB chair Deborah Hersman said that when they have a better idea of what happened inside the battery compartment of the new Boeing 787 model, still not sure what caused the problem.
Hersman said NTSBis looking at the design and production of batteries, used on board the 787. It undermines the process for the confirmation of the safety of the aircraft in the first place.
Aviation analyst Scott Hamilton with Leeham co., and said the new information points to the possibility that the aircraft may not be in Heaven until next month.
"At this point, what this means is that they have more questions than answers," said Hamilton.
Hersman said that if Boeing got the OK to use batteries, it said, that the probability that the battery problem would arise the smoke around one in every 10 million flight hours.
"the 787 Fleet has accumulated less than 100 000 flight hours, and yet there were two events in smoke less than two weeks apart on two different aircraft," she said.
Hamilton, the aviation analyst said, it's not that the assumptions about the unproven technology that was wrong in the aerospace industry.
United Airlines is the only u.s. airline that is currently in operation, the 787, but the new model has customers in Japan and elsewhere. Boeing also has a backlog of hundreds of orders from airlines worldwide.
Customers are starting to get antsy, and that could be costly to Boeing. Japan Airlines estimates that the 787 was grounding the company $ 8 million, according to Reuters, and it is among the few airlines which suggested that would require Boeing to pay for the financial hit.
A Boeing Executive told Reuters that the company would discuss compensation after the 787 gets back in the sky. Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said, NBC News, that the company was in communication with its customers, because the problems have occurred, but that these talks were confidential.
Aviation experts say the Boeing problem stems largely from the fact that the 787 offers a wide range of new and groundbreaking technology. These advances are expected to pay off in the years to come, Boeing is able to keep you ahead of the competition, but the new systems are causing serious headaches right now.
The aircraft relies on the lighter composite materials instead of aluminum, and also uses the electrical systems instead of hydraulics, more commonly used in commercial aircraft.
Boeing delivered the first 787 autumn 2011, more than three years after it was originally promised that the plane will be available. The development process has been beset by delays, which experts said it was prompted in part by a decision to outsource big chunks of development and production with external partners.
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Joshua Freed , The Associated Press – 7 hrs.