Boeing to Begin Modifying 787s as FAA Approves Battery Improvements

[HD videos below] The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has taken the next step in returning the Boeing 787 to flight by approving Boeing's design for modifications to the 787 battery system.

The changes are designed to address risks at the battery cell level, the battery level and the aircraft level.

Next week, the FAA will issue instructions to operators for making changes to the aircraft and will publish in the Federal Register the final directive that will allow the 787 to return to service with the battery system modifications. The directive will take effect upon publication.

The FAA will require airlines that operate the 787 to install containment and venting systems for the main and auxiliary system batteries, and to replace the batteries and their chargers with modified components.

“Safety of the traveling public is our number one priority. These changes to the 787 battery will ensure the safety of the aircraft and its passengers,” said Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, said, “A team of FAA certification specialists observed rigorous tests we required Boeing to perform and devoted weeks to reviewing detailed analysis of the design changes to reach this decision.”

Any return to service of the modified 787 will only take place after the FAA accepts the work.

As the certifying authority, the FAA will also continue to support other authorities around the world as they finalize their own acceptance procedures.

Boeing Chairman, President and CEO, Jim McNerney, said, “The promise of the 787 and the benefits it provides to airlines and their passengers remain fully intact as we take this important step forward with our customers and program partners.”

Boeing, in collaboration with its supplier partners and in support of the investigations of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Japan Transport Safety Board, conducted extensive engineering analysis and testing to develop a thorough understanding of the factors that could have caused the 787’s batteries to fail and overheat in two incidents last January. The team spent more than 100,000 hours developing test plans, building test rigs, conducting tests and analyzing the results to ensure the proposed solutions met all requirements.

Boeing also engaged a team of more than a dozen battery experts from across multiple industries, government, academia and consumer safety to review and validate the company’s assumptions, findings, proposed solution and test plan.

The improved battery system includes design changes to both prevent and isolate a fault should it occur. In addition, improved production, operating and testing processes have been implemented. The new steel enclosure system is designed to keep any level of battery overheating from affecting the airplane or even being noticed by passengers.

“This is a comprehensive and permanent solution with multiple layers of protection,” said Conner. “The ultimate layer of protection is the new enclosure, which will ensure that even if a battery fails, there is no impact to the airplane and no possibility of fire. We have the right solution in hand, and we are ready to go.”

Boeing has deployed teams to locations around the world to begin installing improved battery systems on 787s. Kits with the parts needed for the new battery systems are staged for shipment and new batteries are expected to be shipped immediately. Teams have been assigned to customer locations to install the new systems.

Airplanes are expected to be modified in approximately the order they were delivered.

Boeing will also begin installing the changes on new airplanes at the company’s two 787 final-assembly plants, with deliveries expected to resume in the weeks ahead.

Despite the disruption in deliveries that began in January, Boeing says it expects to complete all planned 2013 deliveries by the end of the year.

Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner @ Farnborough 2012

Inside the Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner @ Farnborough 2012

See more: HD Videos from Farnborough 2012 and other HD Videos