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Boeing Dreamliner: Air investigators urge action over fire Boeing Dreamliner: Air investigators urge action over fire
(35 minutes later)
Air accident investigators looking at the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner fire may have identified the cause. Air accident investigators looking into the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fire at Heathrow last week may have identified the cause.
They have asked that all Boeing 787's switch off an electrical component until further notice.They have asked that all Boeing 787's switch off an electrical component until further notice.
Last week, a fire on the parked Ethiopian Airlines plane closed Heathrow airport for 90 minutes.
In a statement, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said a transmitter used to locate aircraft after a crash needed more "airworthiness actions".In a statement, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said a transmitter used to locate aircraft after a crash needed more "airworthiness actions".
The body also recommended that regulators conduct a safety review of similar components in other aircraft. Boeing said it "supports the two recommendations from the AAIB."
In a statement, Boeing said it "supports the two recommendations from the AAIB, which we think are reasonable precautionary measures to take as the investigation proceeds". Last Friday, a fire on the parked Ethiopian Airlines plane closed Heathrow airport for 90 minutes.
"We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity." The AAIB said the problem might not be confined to the 787 and recommended that regulators conduct a safety review of similar components in other aircraft.
Boeing reiterated its commitment to the expensive aircraft, saying "we are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity."
Different problemDifferent problem
At the start of the year, all 50 Dreamliners in service worldwide were grounded after two separate incidents concerning batteries.At the start of the year, all 50 Dreamliners in service worldwide were grounded after two separate incidents concerning batteries.
But the AAIB investigators found the fire damage to Ethiopian's aircraft was not near the batteries.But the AAIB investigators found the fire damage to Ethiopian's aircraft was not near the batteries.
Instead, they have found that the fire was in the upper rear part of the 787 Dreamliner, where the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), made by Honeywell, is fitted.Instead, they have found that the fire was in the upper rear part of the 787 Dreamliner, where the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT), made by Honeywell, is fitted.
The AAIB statement said: "Detailed examination of the ELT has show some indications of disruption to the battery cells. It is not clear however whether the combustion in the area of the ELT was initiated by a release of energy within the batteries or by an external mechanism such as an electrical short."The AAIB statement said: "Detailed examination of the ELT has show some indications of disruption to the battery cells. It is not clear however whether the combustion in the area of the ELT was initiated by a release of energy within the batteries or by an external mechanism such as an electrical short."
As the ceiling space where the ELT is located "do not typically carry the means of fire detection... had this event occurred in flight it could pose a significant safety concern and raise challenges for the cabin crew in tackling the resulting fire".As the ceiling space where the ELT is located "do not typically carry the means of fire detection... had this event occurred in flight it could pose a significant safety concern and raise challenges for the cabin crew in tackling the resulting fire".
Good news
Boeing's shares were up by more than two percent on news of the AAIB's findings.
"I think it does alleviate a lot of the fears that its another Boeing battery problem," Bloomberg Industries senior airline and aerospace analyst George Ferguson told the BBC.
However, he added: "I don't think Boeing is necessarily out of the woods yet because it is connected into the airplane system."
The Dreamliner programme has been incredibly expensive for Boeing, costing somewhere between $6bn and $10bn.