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Heathrow fire: Ethiopia Dreamliner fleet to stay flying | Heathrow fire: Ethiopia Dreamliner fleet to stay flying |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Ethiopian Airlines says it is to continue operating its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one caught fire at London's Heathrow airport on Friday. | Ethiopian Airlines says it is to continue operating its fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one caught fire at London's Heathrow airport on Friday. |
Investigators are trying to find the cause of the blaze, which took place months after the aircraft was grounded worldwide over a battery problem. | Investigators are trying to find the cause of the blaze, which took place months after the aircraft was grounded worldwide over a battery problem. |
Heathrow's runways were closed for 90 minutes on Friday, and some evening flights delayed by more than six hours. | Heathrow's runways were closed for 90 minutes on Friday, and some evening flights delayed by more than six hours. |
Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of four Dreamliners in 2012. | Ethiopian Airlines took delivery of four Dreamliners in 2012. |
The company said its plane had been parked at Heathrow for eight hours before smoke was spotted. | The company said its plane had been parked at Heathrow for eight hours before smoke was spotted. |
"We have not grounded any of our aircraft," the carrier said in a statement. | "We have not grounded any of our aircraft," the carrier said in a statement. |
"The incident at Heathrow happened while the plane was on the ground... and was not related to flight safety." | "The incident at Heathrow happened while the plane was on the ground... and was not related to flight safety." |
The Dreamliner has been moved to a special hangar away from the terminals to allow the investigation to take place. | The Dreamliner has been moved to a special hangar away from the terminals to allow the investigation to take place. |
The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport is expected to lead the inquiry, with Boeing, the US Federal Aviation Administration, the US-based National Transportation Safety Board and Ethiopian Airlines also taking part. | |
No time frame has been given for the probe. | No time frame has been given for the probe. |
Investigators will hope it is not a recurrence of the problems with its lithium-ion batteries that grounded the entire global fleet of 787s for three months earlier this year, said BBC News correspondent Richard Lister. | Investigators will hope it is not a recurrence of the problems with its lithium-ion batteries that grounded the entire global fleet of 787s for three months earlier this year, said BBC News correspondent Richard Lister. |
Several aviation experts have suggested that the fire appears to have broken out some distance from the two batteries. | Several aviation experts have suggested that the fire appears to have broken out some distance from the two batteries. |
Fire-retardant foam was sprayed at the airliner and an area on top of the fuselage in front of the tail appeared to be scorched. | Fire-retardant foam was sprayed at the airliner and an area on top of the fuselage in front of the tail appeared to be scorched. |
'Negligible delays' | 'Negligible delays' |
Passengers flying from Heathrow are being advised to call their airlines. | Passengers flying from Heathrow are being advised to call their airlines. |
But most flights are expected to leave as planned, with airport operator BAA reporting "negligible" delays of around 10 minutes to some services. | But most flights are expected to leave as planned, with airport operator BAA reporting "negligible" delays of around 10 minutes to some services. |
Forty-two short-haul flights were cancelled, with most passengers put on alternative flights or carriers to their chosen destinations, a spokesman said. | Forty-two short-haul flights were cancelled, with most passengers put on alternative flights or carriers to their chosen destinations, a spokesman said. |
Heathrow said no passengers had been on board the parked aircraft, named the Queen of Sheba, at the time of the fire. | Heathrow said no passengers had been on board the parked aircraft, named the Queen of Sheba, at the time of the fire. |
Thomson Airways became the first British carrier to operate the aircraft earlier this week and is taking delivery of eight of the planes. | Thomson Airways became the first British carrier to operate the aircraft earlier this week and is taking delivery of eight of the planes. |
But Thomson said one of its Dreamliners travelling to Florida returned to Manchester Airport on Friday as a precautionary measure after the plane "experienced a technical issue". | But Thomson said one of its Dreamliners travelling to Florida returned to Manchester Airport on Friday as a precautionary measure after the plane "experienced a technical issue". |
British Airways also recently took delivery of the first two of its 24 Dreamliners. | British Airways also recently took delivery of the first two of its 24 Dreamliners. |
Virgin Atlantic said it "remains committed" to taking on the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September 2014. | Virgin Atlantic said it "remains committed" to taking on the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September 2014. |
Other Dreamliner operators include United Continental, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Air India and Poland's LOT. | Other Dreamliner operators include United Continental, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines, Air India and Poland's LOT. |
Modifications made | Modifications made |
The Dreamliner was marketed as a quiet, fuel-efficient aircraft carrying between 201 and 290 passengers on medium-range routes. | The Dreamliner was marketed as a quiet, fuel-efficient aircraft carrying between 201 and 290 passengers on medium-range routes. |
It was due to enter passenger service in 2008 but it was not until October 2011 that the first commercial flight was operated by Japan's All Nippon Airways. | It was due to enter passenger service in 2008 but it was not until October 2011 that the first commercial flight was operated by Japan's All Nippon Airways. |
All 50 Dreamliners in service worldwide were grounded at the start of the year following two separate incidents concerning its batteries. | All 50 Dreamliners in service worldwide were grounded at the start of the year following two separate incidents concerning its batteries. |
On 7 January, a battery overheated and started a fire on a Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. Nine days later, an All Nippon Airways 787 had to make an emergency landing in Japan after a battery started to give off smoke. | On 7 January, a battery overheated and started a fire on a Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. Nine days later, an All Nippon Airways 787 had to make an emergency landing in Japan after a battery started to give off smoke. |
Boeing modified the jets with new batteries and flights resumed in April. | Boeing modified the jets with new batteries and flights resumed in April. |
The batteries are not used when the 787 is in flight. | The batteries are not used when the 787 is in flight. |
They are operational when the plane is on the ground and its engines are not turned on and are used to power the aircraft's brakes and lights. | They are operational when the plane is on the ground and its engines are not turned on and are used to power the aircraft's brakes and lights. |
Boeing said in April it may not been able to identify the root cause of the battery issues but said its modifications would prevent the problems reoccurring. | Boeing said in April it may not been able to identify the root cause of the battery issues but said its modifications would prevent the problems reoccurring. |