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| Boeing Dreamliner: Battery probe results 'weeks away' | Boeing Dreamliner: Battery probe results 'weeks away' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A US regulator has said it may take "weeks" for it to complete its probe into battery problems that hit two of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes. | A US regulator has said it may take "weeks" for it to complete its probe into battery problems that hit two of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner planes. |
| A battery on one plane caught fire, while a malfunction forced another to make an emergency landing last month. | A battery on one plane caught fire, while a malfunction forced another to make an emergency landing last month. |
| The incidents led to the authorities grounding all 50 of the 787s in use. | The incidents led to the authorities grounding all 50 of the 787s in use. |
| However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that the battery being used in the 787s may not necessarily be unsafe. | However, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said that the battery being used in the 787s may not necessarily be unsafe. |
| "I would not want to categorically say that these batteries are not safe," said Deborah Hersman, head of the NTSB. | "I would not want to categorically say that these batteries are not safe," said Deborah Hersman, head of the NTSB. |
| "Any new technology, any new design, there are going to be some inherent risks. The important thing is to mitigate them." | "Any new technology, any new design, there are going to be some inherent risks. The important thing is to mitigate them." |
| Ms Hersman added that the NTSB was "running through the macro level to the microscopic level on this battery". | Ms Hersman added that the NTSB was "running through the macro level to the microscopic level on this battery". |
| "But I think we are probably weeks away from being able to tell people here's what exactly happened and what needs to change." | "But I think we are probably weeks away from being able to tell people here's what exactly happened and what needs to change." |
| When contacted by the BBC, Peter Conte, a spokesman for Boeing said the firm was "choosing not to comment on Ms Hersman's remarks as the matter was under active investigation". | |
| Longer grounding? | Longer grounding? |
| The incidents on the two planes prompted authorities in the US and Japan to launch inquiries to try to find out what caused the battery problems. | The incidents on the two planes prompted authorities in the US and Japan to launch inquiries to try to find out what caused the battery problems. |
| However, Japan's transport ministry has already said that safety inspectors had found no faults with the battery. | However, Japan's transport ministry has already said that safety inspectors had found no faults with the battery. |
| That has led to concerns that planes may remain grounded for a while, till the time investigators can find out what actually went wrong. | That has led to concerns that planes may remain grounded for a while, till the time investigators can find out what actually went wrong. |
| The comments by the NTSB head have further stoked those fears. | The comments by the NTSB head have further stoked those fears. |
| "Until the regulators can find out what exactly went wrong with the batteries, and figure out a solution to the problem it is unlikely that they will allow the planes to fly," Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with Standard & Poor's told the BBC. | "Until the regulators can find out what exactly went wrong with the batteries, and figure out a solution to the problem it is unlikely that they will allow the planes to fly," Shukor Yusof, an aviation analyst with Standard & Poor's told the BBC. |
| The fear is that the longer its planes remain grounded, the more costly the issue may become for Boeing. | The fear is that the longer its planes remain grounded, the more costly the issue may become for Boeing. |
| The plane maker has already cancelled deliveries of the aircraft. It has orders for 800 Dreamliners and a long delay in approval to fly again is likely to delay delivery schedules further. | The plane maker has already cancelled deliveries of the aircraft. It has orders for 800 Dreamliners and a long delay in approval to fly again is likely to delay delivery schedules further. |
| There have also been concerns that airlines which already fly the Dreamliner, and have been impacted by the grounding, may ask for financial compensation from Boeing. | There have also been concerns that airlines which already fly the Dreamliner, and have been impacted by the grounding, may ask for financial compensation from Boeing. |
| Japan's All Nippon Airways, which operates the largest number of 787s, has cancelled over 1,200 flights since safety regulators grounded the Dreamliners on 16 January. | Japan's All Nippon Airways, which operates the largest number of 787s, has cancelled over 1,200 flights since safety regulators grounded the Dreamliners on 16 January. |
| January's disruption alone has lost the company 1.4bn yen (£9.5m) in revenue. | January's disruption alone has lost the company 1.4bn yen (£9.5m) in revenue. |
| "The longer the Dreamliners remain grounded, the costlier it will become for Boeing," said Mr Yusof of Standard & Poor's. | "The longer the Dreamliners remain grounded, the costlier it will become for Boeing," said Mr Yusof of Standard & Poor's. |