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| British Inquiry Ties 787 Fire to Beacon | British Inquiry Ties 787 Fire to Beacon |
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| After British authorities urged American regulators to order airlines to disconnect the batteries in the emergency transmitters on Boeing 787s, the Federal Aviation Administration took a more measured approach, saying that it would review the matter. | After British authorities urged American regulators to order airlines to disconnect the batteries in the emergency transmitters on Boeing 787s, the Federal Aviation Administration took a more measured approach, saying that it would review the matter. |
| Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which also called for a broader safety review of similar devices in thousands of other passenger jets, made its recommendations on Thursday after finding signs of disruption in the battery cells of an emergency transmitter on a 787 Dreamliner that caught fire while parked at Heathrow Airport last week. | Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which also called for a broader safety review of similar devices in thousands of other passenger jets, made its recommendations on Thursday after finding signs of disruption in the battery cells of an emergency transmitter on a 787 Dreamliner that caught fire while parked at Heathrow Airport last week. |
| Most passenger jets do not have fire suppressant systems near the devices, which send out a plane’s location after a crash. If a fire occurred in flight, the British investigators said, “it could pose a significant safety concern and raise challenges for the cabin crew.” | Most passenger jets do not have fire suppressant systems near the devices, which send out a plane’s location after a crash. If a fire occurred in flight, the British investigators said, “it could pose a significant safety concern and raise challenges for the cabin crew.” |
| Boeing’s innovative new plane, which cuts fuel costs by 20 percent, is crucial to the company’s future. But the 787 has faced a series of setbacks since its introduction in late 2011. | Boeing’s innovative new plane, which cuts fuel costs by 20 percent, is crucial to the company’s future. But the 787 has faced a series of setbacks since its introduction in late 2011. |
| Another type of battery caught fire earlier this year, prompting the F.A.A. to ground the plane for several months. On Thursday, a Japan Airlines 787 was forced to return to Boston shortly after takeoff. The airline said an indicator had suggested maintenance might be needed on the fuel pump, and the pilots, who were headed for Japan, turned back as a precaution. | Another type of battery caught fire earlier this year, prompting the F.A.A. to ground the plane for several months. On Thursday, a Japan Airlines 787 was forced to return to Boston shortly after takeoff. The airline said an indicator had suggested maintenance might be needed on the fuel pump, and the pilots, who were headed for Japan, turned back as a precaution. |
| The British findings stirred up an immediate debate, as various players in the aviation community sought to determine if the emergency transmitters posed enough of a safety threat to temporarily dismantle or remove them. | |
| Although Britain is still investigating the cause of the fire at Heathrow, Boeing said it supported the recommendations as “reasonable precautionary measures.” Honeywell Aerospace, which makes the 6.6-pound transmitters on the 787, said the proposals were “prudent,” though it remained “premature to jump to conclusions” about the cause of the fire. | Although Britain is still investigating the cause of the fire at Heathrow, Boeing said it supported the recommendations as “reasonable precautionary measures.” Honeywell Aerospace, which makes the 6.6-pound transmitters on the 787, said the proposals were “prudent,” though it remained “premature to jump to conclusions” about the cause of the fire. |
| Thomson Airways in England said it would remove the batteries from its 787s. Other carriers that use similar transmitters, from major airlines to corporate jets, were left to decide whether it was safe to keep using them. The F.A.A. decided it needed more time to evaluate the proposals, which could conceivably lead to the removal of the batteries or the transmitters from most of the planes made by Boeing, Airbus and the smaller companies that make regional and business jets. | Thomson Airways in England said it would remove the batteries from its 787s. Other carriers that use similar transmitters, from major airlines to corporate jets, were left to decide whether it was safe to keep using them. The F.A.A. decided it needed more time to evaluate the proposals, which could conceivably lead to the removal of the batteries or the transmitters from most of the planes made by Boeing, Airbus and the smaller companies that make regional and business jets. |
| Federal officials said the lack of definitive evidence about the cause of the fire — and the fact that none of the transmitters had been known to cause a fire in more than 50 million flight hours — suggested they should take more time in reviewing the matter. | Federal officials said the lack of definitive evidence about the cause of the fire — and the fact that none of the transmitters had been known to cause a fire in more than 50 million flight hours — suggested they should take more time in reviewing the matter. |
| While some industry officials were surprised that the agency did not embrace the British recommendations more readily, Hans J. Weber, the president of Tecop International, an aviation consultancy in San Diego, said: “That’s just the way bureaucrats work. There’s always so much harrumphing, like, ‘You can’t tell us what to do. We will make up our own mind.’ ” | While some industry officials were surprised that the agency did not embrace the British recommendations more readily, Hans J. Weber, the president of Tecop International, an aviation consultancy in San Diego, said: “That’s just the way bureaucrats work. There’s always so much harrumphing, like, ‘You can’t tell us what to do. We will make up our own mind.’ ” |
| Still, he said, American regulators could end up issuing an advisory to plane owners to at least inspect the transmitters. | Still, he said, American regulators could end up issuing an advisory to plane owners to at least inspect the transmitters. |
| Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., said the agency has to consider what it would mean for safety if planes fly without the transmitters, which have been particularly helpful in locating the wreckage of smaller planes. | Robert Mann, an aviation consultant in Port Washington, N.Y., said the agency has to consider what it would mean for safety if planes fly without the transmitters, which have been particularly helpful in locating the wreckage of smaller planes. |
| The British recommendations, contained in a three-page interim report on the fire investigation, provided the strongest evidence yet that the emergency locator transmitter played a significant role in the fire on the Ethiopian Airlines 787. The findings were good news for Boeing because the fire most likely centered on a generic piece of equipment that is on many types of planes rather than one of the new systems on the Dreamliner. | The British recommendations, contained in a three-page interim report on the fire investigation, provided the strongest evidence yet that the emergency locator transmitter played a significant role in the fire on the Ethiopian Airlines 787. The findings were good news for Boeing because the fire most likely centered on a generic piece of equipment that is on many types of planes rather than one of the new systems on the Dreamliner. |
| The British report said the most extensive heat damage to the jet’s carbon-composite skin occurred at the spot where the transmitter was attached to the top of the plane near the rear left door. The report said it was not clear if the fire was initiated by a release of energy in the batteries or by an external mechanism like an electrical short. If a short occurred in the device or its wiring, the battery could have provided the energy for ignition, the report said. | The British report said the most extensive heat damage to the jet’s carbon-composite skin occurred at the spot where the transmitter was attached to the top of the plane near the rear left door. The report said it was not clear if the fire was initiated by a release of energy in the batteries or by an external mechanism like an electrical short. If a short occurred in the device or its wiring, the battery could have provided the energy for ignition, the report said. |
| The report said no other systems in that area would have contained enough stored energy to start a fire with the plane’s basic power system turned off. The transmitter, which could broadcast distress signals for many hours after a crash, is designed to operate independently of the jet’s power system. | The report said no other systems in that area would have contained enough stored energy to start a fire with the plane’s basic power system turned off. The transmitter, which could broadcast distress signals for many hours after a crash, is designed to operate independently of the jet’s power system. |
| Still, the investigators expressed surprise that the battery could have caught fire, noting that the manufacturer of the transmitter, Honeywell Aerospace, had produced 6,000 of the transmitters for a wide range of aircraft since 2005, including some Airbus planes, without similar incidents. Honeywell and other manufacturers also make similar devices for thousands of other commercial and business jets. | Still, the investigators expressed surprise that the battery could have caught fire, noting that the manufacturer of the transmitter, Honeywell Aerospace, had produced 6,000 of the transmitters for a wide range of aircraft since 2005, including some Airbus planes, without similar incidents. Honeywell and other manufacturers also make similar devices for thousands of other commercial and business jets. |
| The report indicated that the plane had landed at Heathrow 10 hours before the fire. After the passengers departed, the plane was towed to a remote parking spot and connected to a ground power station. The power source was turned off shortly afterward. | The report indicated that the plane had landed at Heathrow 10 hours before the fire. After the passengers departed, the plane was towed to a remote parking spot and connected to a ground power station. The power source was turned off shortly afterward. |
| The fire was detected by an employee in the air traffic tower, who noticed smoke coming from the plane. The report said firefighters encountered thick smoke when they entered the middle of the plane, and it became more dense as they moved toward the rear. | The fire was detected by an employee in the air traffic tower, who noticed smoke coming from the plane. The report said firefighters encountered thick smoke when they entered the middle of the plane, and it became more dense as they moved toward the rear. |
| Investigators said a hand-held extinguisher did not stop the fire, and the firefighters had to knock down a ceiling panel to get to an upper compartment where the transmitter was. While the firefighters were then able to put out the blaze, the fire was so intense that it damaged the plane’s carbon-composite structure in that area and caused the exterior paint to blister and peel. | Investigators said a hand-held extinguisher did not stop the fire, and the firefighters had to knock down a ceiling panel to get to an upper compartment where the transmitter was. While the firefighters were then able to put out the blaze, the fire was so intense that it damaged the plane’s carbon-composite structure in that area and caused the exterior paint to blister and peel. |
| The high-impact plastic composites are used in about half the structure of the 787 instead of aluminum or other metals. The composites are one of the novel features that helps reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency on the 787. | The high-impact plastic composites are used in about half the structure of the 787 instead of aluminum or other metals. The composites are one of the novel features that helps reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency on the 787. |
| The plane also has new electric and battery systems, which prompted problems in the early stages of the 787’s service. Still, airlines, attracted by fuel savings, continue to place orders for the aircraft, and Boeing expects to eventually sell thousands of the planes. | The plane also has new electric and battery systems, which prompted problems in the early stages of the 787’s service. Still, airlines, attracted by fuel savings, continue to place orders for the aircraft, and Boeing expects to eventually sell thousands of the planes. |
| The transmitter is powered by a small lithium-manganese dioxide battery. It is not rechargeable and normally lasts for 10 years. It is similar to batteries used in fire alarms and military radios. | The transmitter is powered by a small lithium-manganese dioxide battery. It is not rechargeable and normally lasts for 10 years. It is similar to batteries used in fire alarms and military radios. |
| That battery is much smaller and less flammable than the lithium-cobalt batteries that caught fire or emitted smoke in other areas on two 787s in January. The problems with those batteries led to a four-month grounding of the 787s around the world. British investigators have said those larger lithium cobalt batteries were nowhere near where the fire occurred on the Ethiopian jet and played no role in it. | That battery is much smaller and less flammable than the lithium-cobalt batteries that caught fire or emitted smoke in other areas on two 787s in January. The problems with those batteries led to a four-month grounding of the 787s around the world. British investigators have said those larger lithium cobalt batteries were nowhere near where the fire occurred on the Ethiopian jet and played no role in it. |