Emergency landing grounds Boeing 787 jets in Japan
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TOKYO (AP) - Japan's two biggest airlines grounded all their Boeing 787 aircraft for safety checks Wednesday after one was forced to make an emergency landing in the latest blow for the new jet.
All Nippon Airways said a cockpit message showed battery problems and a burning smell were detected in the cockpit and the cabin, forcing the 787 on a domestic flight to land at Takamatsu airport in western Japan.
The 787, known as the Dreamliner, is Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced jet, and the company is counting heavily on its success. Since its launch, which came after delays of more than three years, the plane has been plagued by a series of problems including a battery fire and fuel leaks. Japan's ANA and Japan Airlines are major customers for the jet and among the first to fly it.
Japan's transport ministry said it got notices from ANA, which operates 17 of the jets, and Japan Airlines which has seven, that all their 787s would not be flying. The grounding was done voluntarily by the airlines.
The earliest manufactured jets of any new aircraft usually have problems and airlines run higher risks in flying them first, said Brendan Sobie, Singapore-based chief analyst at CAPA-Center for Aviation. Since about half the 787 fleet is in Japan, more problems are cropping up there.
"There are always teething problems with new aircraft and airlines often are reluctant to be the launch customer of any new airplanes," Sobie said. "We saw it with other airplane types, like the A380 but the issues with the A380 were different," he said.
Japan's transport ministry categorized Wednesday's problem as a "serious incident" that could have led to an accident, and sent officials for further checks to Takamatsu airport. The airport was closed.
ANA executives apologized, bowing deeply at a hastily called news conference in Tokyo.
"We are very sorry to have caused passengers and their family members so much concern," said ANA Senior Executive Vice President Osamu Shinobe.
One male in his 60s was taken to the hospital for minor hip injuries after going down the emergency slides at the airport, the fire department said. The other 128 passengers and eight crew members of the ANA domestic flight were uninjured, according to ANA.
The grounding in Japan was the first for the 787, whose problems had been brushed off by Boeing as teething pains for a new aircraft. The transport ministry had already started a separate inspection Monday on another 787 jet, operated by Japan Airlines, which had leaked fuel at Tokyo's Narita airport after flying back from Boston, where it had also leaked fuel.
A fire ignited Jan. 7 in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of a Japan Airlines 787 empty of passengers as the plane sat on the tarmac at Boston's Logan International Airport. It took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the blaze.
ANA cancelled a domestic flight to Tokyo on Jan. 9 after a computer wrongly indicated there was a problem with the Boeing 787's brakes. Two days later, the carrier reported two new cases of problems with the aircraft - a minor fuel leak and a cracked windscreen in a 787 cockpit.
The 787 relies more than any other modern airliner on electrical signals to help power nearly everything the plane does. It's also the first Boeing plane to use rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which charge faster and can be molded to space-saving shapes compared to other airplane batteries. The plane is made with lightweight composite materials instead of aluminum.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that it is "monitoring a preliminary report of an incident in Japan earlier today involving a Boeing 787."
It said the incident will be included in the comprehensive review the FAA began last week of the 787 critical systems, including design, manufacture and assembly. U.S. government officials have been quick to say that the plane is safe. Nearly 50 of them are in the skies now.
GS Yuasa Corp., the Japanese company that supplies all the lithium ion batteries for the 787, had no comment as the investigation was still ongoing.
In Tokyo, the transport minister, Akihiro Ota, said authorities were taking the incidents seriously.
"These problems must be fully investigated," he said.
Boeing has said that various technical problems are to be expected in the early days of any aircraft model.
"Boeing is aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ANA to Takamatsu in western Japan. We will be working with our customer and the appropriate regulatory agencies," Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is aware of Wednesday's emergency landing in Japan and is gathering information on the incident, Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for the board, said.
In Wednesday's incident, a cockpit instrument showed a problem with the 787's battery and the pilot noticed an unusual smell, the airline said. The flight requested and was granted permission to make an emergency landing at Takamatsu airport.
Aviation safety expert John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, said the ANA pilot made the right choice.
"They were being very prudent in making the emergency landing even though there's been no information released so far that indicates any of these issues are related," he said.
But much remains uncertain about the problems being experienced by the 787, said Masaharu Hirokane, analyst at Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo.
The problems could turn out to be relatively easy to fix, or it could be major, and the situation was still unclear, including how long the improvements would take, he said.
"You need to ensure safety 100 percent, and then you also have to get people to feel that the jet is 100 percent safe," said Hirokane.
All Nippon Airways said a cockpit message showed battery problems and a burning smell were detected in the cockpit and the cabin, forcing the 787 on a domestic flight to land at Takamatsu airport in western Japan.
The 787, known as the Dreamliner, is Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced jet, and the company is counting heavily on its success. Since its launch, which came after delays of more than three years, the plane has been plagued by a series of problems including a battery fire and fuel leaks. Japan's ANA and Japan Airlines are major customers for the jet and among the first to fly it.
Japan's transport ministry said it got notices from ANA, which operates 17 of the jets, and Japan Airlines which has seven, that all their 787s would not be flying. The grounding was done voluntarily by the airlines.
The earliest manufactured jets of any new aircraft usually have problems and airlines run higher risks in flying them first, said Brendan Sobie, Singapore-based chief analyst at CAPA-Center for Aviation. Since about half the 787 fleet is in Japan, more problems are cropping up there.
"There are always teething problems with new aircraft and airlines often are reluctant to be the launch customer of any new airplanes," Sobie said. "We saw it with other airplane types, like the A380 but the issues with the A380 were different," he said.
Japan's transport ministry categorized Wednesday's problem as a "serious incident" that could have led to an accident, and sent officials for further checks to Takamatsu airport. The airport was closed.
ANA executives apologized, bowing deeply at a hastily called news conference in Tokyo.
"We are very sorry to have caused passengers and their family members so much concern," said ANA Senior Executive Vice President Osamu Shinobe.
One male in his 60s was taken to the hospital for minor hip injuries after going down the emergency slides at the airport, the fire department said. The other 128 passengers and eight crew members of the ANA domestic flight were uninjured, according to ANA.
The grounding in Japan was the first for the 787, whose problems had been brushed off by Boeing as teething pains for a new aircraft. The transport ministry had already started a separate inspection Monday on another 787 jet, operated by Japan Airlines, which had leaked fuel at Tokyo's Narita airport after flying back from Boston, where it had also leaked fuel.
A fire ignited Jan. 7 in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of a Japan Airlines 787 empty of passengers as the plane sat on the tarmac at Boston's Logan International Airport. It took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the blaze.
ANA cancelled a domestic flight to Tokyo on Jan. 9 after a computer wrongly indicated there was a problem with the Boeing 787's brakes. Two days later, the carrier reported two new cases of problems with the aircraft - a minor fuel leak and a cracked windscreen in a 787 cockpit.
The 787 relies more than any other modern airliner on electrical signals to help power nearly everything the plane does. It's also the first Boeing plane to use rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which charge faster and can be molded to space-saving shapes compared to other airplane batteries. The plane is made with lightweight composite materials instead of aluminum.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that it is "monitoring a preliminary report of an incident in Japan earlier today involving a Boeing 787."
It said the incident will be included in the comprehensive review the FAA began last week of the 787 critical systems, including design, manufacture and assembly. U.S. government officials have been quick to say that the plane is safe. Nearly 50 of them are in the skies now.
GS Yuasa Corp., the Japanese company that supplies all the lithium ion batteries for the 787, had no comment as the investigation was still ongoing.
In Tokyo, the transport minister, Akihiro Ota, said authorities were taking the incidents seriously.
"These problems must be fully investigated," he said.
Boeing has said that various technical problems are to be expected in the early days of any aircraft model.
"Boeing is aware of the diversion of a 787 operated by ANA to Takamatsu in western Japan. We will be working with our customer and the appropriate regulatory agencies," Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said.
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is aware of Wednesday's emergency landing in Japan and is gathering information on the incident, Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for the board, said.
In Wednesday's incident, a cockpit instrument showed a problem with the 787's battery and the pilot noticed an unusual smell, the airline said. The flight requested and was granted permission to make an emergency landing at Takamatsu airport.
Aviation safety expert John Goglia, a former National Transportation Safety Board member, said the ANA pilot made the right choice.
"They were being very prudent in making the emergency landing even though there's been no information released so far that indicates any of these issues are related," he said.
But much remains uncertain about the problems being experienced by the 787, said Masaharu Hirokane, analyst at Nomura Securities Co. in Tokyo.
The problems could turn out to be relatively easy to fix, or it could be major, and the situation was still unclear, including how long the improvements would take, he said.
"You need to ensure safety 100 percent, and then you also have to get people to feel that the jet is 100 percent safe," said Hirokane.
It seems like the majority of comments here are from people that believe that the old way of designing and building aircraft will keep Boeing in a competative position. It wont. The aircraft maker that doesn't introduce cost savings and efficiencies and global buy-in will lose.
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So Boeing is saying this is normal or no big deal because this is a new plane?  I would like to know how many of these employees at Boeing who believe this, buy a new car & immediatly claim warranty when something minor goes wrong. Because when a new car leaks or burns oil, it's just teething pains for a new car.
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"The grounding in Japan was the first for the 787, whose problems had been brushed off by Boeing as teething pains for a new aircraft"
Does the SONIC CRUISER mean anything to anyone??? That was the plane that was supposed to be built and designed by the Boeing company for the Boeing Company to the people.
The greatest design over all and able to travel at super sonic speeds as in the late great Concord.
Boeing came up with the design and idea and printed huge gigantic posters and then pissed on it for the 787.
GO FIGURE!
 @reelin21 The Sonic Cruiser was all an elaborate ploy to confuse Airbus and it worked.
Airbus built the A380 which has many more problems than the 787 and the A380 can only land at certain airports because others are too small for such a huge plane. The S/C did what it was supposed to do. Some day maybe it will be built.
Not only build in the USA but use experienced people. Hiring a bunch of right to work state at minimum wage or just a tad bit over does not speak volumes where experience is concerned.
The Boeing Co goes for the savings, yet lives are at risk. What are they thinking and how do they sleep at night??
This plane the 787 is speaking for itself...it's burping, it's digestive system is curdling, the plane is about to throw up and choke on it's own vomit.
That's right, every country has a stake on this plane yet if anything happens it's Boeing's fault. What part of this do they not understand????
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@reelin21 Funny...all of the current 787s flying were assembled in Washington, where Boeing workers are experienced and make a great deal more than minimum wage.
next time build your new airplane in the USA instead of around the world
Whoever is supplying that lithium battery is in deep doo right now. Or possibly whoever spec'ed it out. Those things are failing at an unacceptable rate.
Not knowing much about airplane manufacturing, it seems that these are DESIGN and ENGINEERING issues more than anything else? More so than non-union or outsourcing issues. Am I right or wrong? Just curious.
Like I said before:... how's that outsourcing been workin' for ya' ?
Has anyone checked tail #'s to determine if any of these problem units were assembled in Chuk'sTown??
I tend to view the 787 as a McDonnell Douglas airplane wrapped up in the Boeing logo (brand recognition). Heritage Boeing would never have consented to build that airplane the way it was outsourced in design and manufacturing like it was. What a terrible idea, yet McNerney is still CEO. Go figure.....
So much for "small hiccups" along the way. I think the problems are more serious than previously thought. Time for a reality check, Boeing?
Boeing can test the safety of their plane on someone else . I am not getting on that 787 !
but it has large windows...Â
@31F All the better to blow out at 39 thousand feet......
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J/K
The Dreamliner is hot garbage, and Boeing engineers should quite frankly be ashamed of themselves right now.
It was a global partnership. A lot of the engineering was outsourced. Check your facts before posting WhoBeke.
Parts built via globalization by the lowest bidders, what a shock
Sounds like they need to rename the plane to The Nightmare-Liner instead of the Dreamliner... Â This plane will kill Boeing and Airbus will rule the skies in 5 years. Â
Boeing must be running out of people and reasons to blame on this latest issue...
Problem:They put the wrong people in charge of this program and they don't listen to no one !
@scychan Hit the nail on the head... but you forgot to meniton the all important Investor Return... that the exec's are always worried about.. Forget about Quality, concentrate on delivery.. That is now the focus..
Id like to see conservatives blame this on the unions. Â Nothing but problems with the 787 plane, all appear to in sync with decisions to move manufacturing overseas and out of state.Â
 @kinison Sure they can, Boeing has to give outrages amounts in salary to the unions, they had to cut back on battery R&D to stay over budget and behind deadlines.
Wow... In all of my 34 years with this place, I have never seen a program quite like to 787. All most seems like they are a complete different airplane manufacture. The mentality of corporate was to build the lightest plane possible for the best fuel savings. I mean, why not? Its a great selling point. But they just went a little over board. Using the lightest and smallest components isnt always the safest thing to do. Anyway, so they hire thousands of new hires, children who would rather play with their electronic toys all day and do as little as possible and their leads and supvs are almost as green and seems nobody has a plan or clue as what to do next. So then pile all of that on top of receiving components and parts from all over the world so these kids can snap them together. The parts show up late and defective so they send them back for repairs and by the time they get them back, they are outdated and replaced with something different. And normally, when you have a good or great process or procedure, you stick with it and or improve it and use it throughout the company. This program refused to listen to any of this because they are going to show the rest of the folks, they dont need any advise or help in anything they do. Management convinced upper that they could build it all on wheels so no need of any cranes. Costs savings. They needed very little inspection as the children would inspect their own work. Costs savings. Well, they still need cranes and they are finding out now that things are being over-looked with insp process. I am really sad to see this program dragging down all of us at the company and still hope that we can get out of this mess, sooner than later.  Â
@h20dad , Don't forget about Boeing promoting young people with no experience to run the shops on the floor. I have never seen a program run so poorly as the 787. Look at the number of program leader changes that have occurred. I wouldn't call that coincidence, would you. I totally agree with hiring too many young people off the street that would rather tweet and play on the computer and their phones. A serious overhaul needs to occur on the program from the top down.
@Thomas Bagby I currently work with one of those kids, hired off the street as a production manager.. more mouth than brains.. especially when it comes to building planes..
 @h20dad Good Luck man and do what you can.
All right Boeing, it is time to have a heart to heart talk with the Enegizer Bunny to see if he can help.
I dont think planes are safe when they catch on fire and have fuel leaks. Cost cutting by the worlds builders due to stiff competition. Â I am sure Air Bus bus is doing the same. Good to see ANA put safety first to find the solutions.
This thing has been in commercial service for over a year now and it's just bad luck that all of these events are happening so close to each other to give the illusion that this plane is a falling apart deathtrap, when it really is not. Humans are generally not logical creatures. We generally don't look at the big picture. The fact that people are still more comfortable getting into a car than a plane even though you are significantly more likely to die in a car is proof of that.
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The legendary 747 had problems in its early commercial life too and so did other Boeing aircraft. Luckily, the internet wasn't available to the masses back then so it was harder for arm chair experts to spread their non-sense. I still can't wait to fly in this bad boy.
 @Hambingo Bingo... and all of them are the planes owned by ANA and JAL...it just seems a bit odd, almost like it was planned... not sure... but definately makes one wonder.
 @lizziemac  @Hambingo I think they are over clocking the planes.
@DarkParty @lizziemac @Hambingo Now that, is funny... Â
Sky Yugo
You won't catch me on one of those things. Reminds me of Ford's Pinto way back when...everything is fine they said, but the gas tanks kept flaming up in crashes. I just hope that we never see the same thing here.
A Boeing employee in my family blamed the 787 problems on parts manufactured by an Italian company. Whether this is true, I have no idea, but Italian vehicles in general have a reputation for excellent style and poor reliability.
@Sutekh They know how to build cars, but not planes.. Remember the problem with the wing join a couple years ago, Italian manufacture..
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Boeing is exhibiting symptoms like Lance Armstrong did for years. LYING AND DENIAL!
So I hear the new name is "The 787 Firebird"
@6t6tripowr Excellent. I was always hoping that nameplate would be brought back...
 @Throbbinhood  @6t6tripowr Think ANA will paint a big screaming chicken on the nose?
If the battery problem is generic to the Lithium Cobalt Oxide battery technology.  Boeing is in a world of hurt with no good options to recover. From the prior KOMO story,Chief 787 Engineer stated " ......Boeing has no plans to replace the lithium ion batteries with another type. If he had to re-do the choice to go with lithium ion, he said, he'd make the same choice today."
A much safer technology, which was not available during the 787 design phase is the LFP Lithium Ferro Phosphate Â
( LiFePO4) is an intrinsically safer cathode material than LiCoO2 and manganese spinel. The Fe-P-O bond is stronger than the Co-O bond, so that when abused, (short-circuited, overheated, etc.) the oxygen atoms are much harder to remove.
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I know of no company that supplies an LFP battery with the capacity and is suitable for flight certification.
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@al_wa It sounds like the same kind of problem laptop computers has a few years ago.
 Maybe they could put a few toyota Prius in the cargo hold for battery power? :)
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Maybe Blindman is using sarcasm? Or maybe he is just mentally challenged and hates his job at the fast food drive thru window.
 @Blindman lol Homeland Security would be interested in that comment I am sure....
 @Blindman Are you freaking serious dude? What a horrible thing to say.
 @Blindman You do understand that that type of comment makes you sound like an idiot?