Post date: Feb 05, 2013 1:12:37 PM
Failed 787 Dreamliner batteries revealed by the Japan Transport Safety Board.
TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE) (JAPAN TRANSPORT SAFETY BOARD) - Japan's transport safety board (JTSB) revealed photos on Tuesday (February 5) of the failed main battery which forced the All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787 Dreamliner to execute an emergency landing.
The agency said it is still unclear whether battery chemistry or an electrical issue caused the main battery to overheat and fail.All Boeing's 787s are out of action as investigators in Japan and the United States try to find the cause of two incidents with the plane's lithium-ion batteries - a battery fire on aJapan Airlines 787 at a U.S. airport and the emergency landing on a domestic ANA flight after battery problems triggered a smoke alarm.
The agency also added CT scans showed six of the main battery's eight cells on theANA Dreamliner were badly damaged, charred and deformed.
Boeing has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for permission to conductDreamliner test flights, suggesting it is making progress in finding a solution to the battery problems.
Japan's minister for land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, Akihiro Ota said all sides involved, American and Japanese, were working towards solving the problem.
"NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), FAA (Federal Aviation Authority), JTSB (Japan Transport Safety Board) and the aviation authorities are working hard towards finding the cause," said Ota.
Launch customer ANA is the world's biggest Dreamliner operator with 17 of the jets.
With local rival JAL owning seven, Japan accounts for almost half the 50 787s that have been grounded since January 17.
U.S. officials said they are making progress in their investigation into the battery fire on JAL's jet, although they have yet to set any timetable for completing their work.
ANA said last week it lost around 15 million U.S. dollars (USD) in revenue as a result of the Dreamliner grounding, while JAL said the halting of 787 flights would shave 7.6 million USD from its operating profit in the year to end-March.
Both companies have said they will discuss compensation for the losses with Boeing.