Boeing conducts 2nd 787 flight test
SEATTLE (AP) - Boeing conducted another 787 test flight on Monday as it tries to find out what caused battery problems that have knocked the plane out of airline service.
The flight took off from Boeing Field in Seattle, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Federal officials grounded the 787 on Jan. 16 after two battery incidents in less than two weeks, including a fire. The order barred Boeing test flights, too. Boeing won permission for test flights last week, and the first one was conducted on Saturday. Boeing said the flight had 13 flight test workers and pilots, and was uneventful.
The flights are being done on one of Boeing's fleet of six 787 test planes that were used for flight testing before the plane went into full production. The plane has special equipment that allows the crew to observe and record detailed information about the performance of the two lithium-ion batteries on the plane.
Boeing did not release any details about what it found on the Saturday flight. It has also not said how many test flights it plans.
In an annual filing on Monday, Boeing Co. said it is too soon to estimate how much the 787 problems will cost. The financial impact will depend on what the cause turns out to be, how long it takes to find it, and the fix required to get 787s flying commercially again, the company said.
Shares of the Chicago-based company fell 56 cents to $76 in afternoon trading in New York.
The flight took off from Boeing Field in Seattle, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Federal officials grounded the 787 on Jan. 16 after two battery incidents in less than two weeks, including a fire. The order barred Boeing test flights, too. Boeing won permission for test flights last week, and the first one was conducted on Saturday. Boeing said the flight had 13 flight test workers and pilots, and was uneventful.
The flights are being done on one of Boeing's fleet of six 787 test planes that were used for flight testing before the plane went into full production. The plane has special equipment that allows the crew to observe and record detailed information about the performance of the two lithium-ion batteries on the plane.
Boeing did not release any details about what it found on the Saturday flight. It has also not said how many test flights it plans.
In an annual filing on Monday, Boeing Co. said it is too soon to estimate how much the 787 problems will cost. The financial impact will depend on what the cause turns out to be, how long it takes to find it, and the fix required to get 787s flying commercially again, the company said.
Shares of the Chicago-based company fell 56 cents to $76 in afternoon trading in New York.
Might be a good time to consider buying shares in Boeing, and hope they get this fixed.
What does a test flight have to do with the batteries going up in flames while it is unattended??
We know that the Firebird can fly....It's a mater of, can it just sit there and do nothing....
You want to simulate the conditions when the failure happened - with the battery and all sysems under full load and subject to all relevant conditions.Â
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You can't do that on the ground.
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One set of batteries went up in smoke while the Firebird set unattended....
Two down....9998 tests to go.