Tag Archives: dreamliner

Sixth Dreamliner problem forces grounding in Japan

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Sixth Dreamliner problem forces grounding in Japan

Jan 16, 2013
 Further question marks are being raised over the new generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner after Japan’s two main airlines grounded the aircraft.

The decision was talen after one was forced to make an emergency landing over night because of battery problems.

All Nippon Airways grounded its fleet of 17 Dreamliners after a flight from Yamaguchi Ube in western Japan was forced to land shortly after takeoff.

The ANA flight landed at Takamatsu airport at 8:47am local time on Wednesday after the pilot saw an error message and smoke was seen in the cockpit.

Japan Airlines then followed suit, saying it would take its fleet of seven 787s out of service from today (January 16) until further notice.

Dreamliners have suffered a total of six issues, including fuel leaks, a cracked cockpit window, brake problems and an electrical fire, in recent weeks.

ANA said that the 129 passengers and 8 crew were evacuated, with a number of people sustaining minor injuries.

Five people were injured, according to Reuters, while Bloomberg said that one person was sent to hospital.

A Boeing spokesman told the BBC that the company was “aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ANA to Takamatsu in western Japan”.

He added that Boeing “will be working with our customer and the appropriate regulatory agencies”.

Boeing was already facing a probe by Japanese and US authorities over its Dreamliner issues.

The US Federal Aviation Administration last week started a broad review of the design, manufacturing and assembly of the Dreamliner.

India’s aviation regulator said it would review the Dreamliner’s safety and talk to parts makers following the ANA incident.

United Airlines is the only US carrier currently flying Dreamliners, and the carrier said it was not taking any immediate action.

Thomson Airways is due to start flying the 787 this year followed by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.

Fourth Dreamliner incident after US probe announced

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Fourth Dreamliner incident after US probe announced

Jan 14, 2013

Fourth Dreamliner incident after US probe announced

A fourth problem in a week affecting the new-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner has emerged.

Japan Airlines reported a 100-litre fuel leak in a 787 during an inspection in Toyko yesterday.

The aircraft reportedly was the same one that had a fuel leak in Boston last Tuesday, which saw its flight aborted after around 40 gallons of fuel spilled onto the runway, according to theAFP news agency.

A Japan Airlines-operated 787 Dreamliner caught fire after landing in Boston on a flight from Tokyo a week ago as the aircraft sat empty of passengers on the tarmac. It took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the blaze.

All Nippon Airways cancelled a Dreamliner flight on Wednesday because of a brake problem, which was the third glitch to hit the next-generation aircraft in as many days.

Boeing has insisted that the 787’s problems are no worse than what it experienced when its 777 was new in the mid-1990s.

The US Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday that it would conduct a comprehensive review of the design, manufacture and assembly of the Boeing 787 after recent incidents.

However, transportation officials said there was nothing in the data the agency had seen to suggest the aircraft was not safe to fly.

Boeing delivers its first Dreamliner

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Boeing delivers its first Dreamliner

Sep 26, 2011 08:00AM GMT

Boeing delivers its first Dreamliner

Boeing has delivered its first 787 Dreamliner but questions have been raised over whether the jet will ever make money for the aircraft manufacturer.

The Dreamliner will finally enter service with Japanese airline ANA next month after three years of delays caused by technical problems during development. Boeing plans to make 10 Dreamliners a month from 2013 although there are doubts about its ability to meet the production schedule.

This month it emerged Monarch Airlines had cancelled its order for six of the aircraft, the delay in delivering giving the airline time to change its strategy to focus more on short-haul flying. Tui Travel is due to be the first airline in the UK to fly the Dreamliner after it takes delivery of its first of eight from January next year.

The Dreamliner’s revolutionary design makes it more fuel efficient and capable of flying over longer distances than conventional aircraft. Reports at the weekend suggested that the delays had seen the cost of developing the aircraft to £32 billion raising questions as to whether the jet will ever make money for Boeing.

Global launch partner ANA has ordered 50 of the aircraft for a total price of $11 billion.