FAA airworthiness directive requires 787 battery system modification
US FAA has ordered a “modification of the battery system” of the Boeing 787, which the agency grounded Wednesday by an emergency directive.
In a new airworthiness directive (AD), FAA said it has “evaluated all the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition [apparent on the Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways 787s] is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.” It cited the “potential for fire in the [787] electrical compartment.”
FAA said the AD “requires modification of the [787] battery system, or other actions, in accordance with a method approved” by the manager of the agency’s Seattle Aircraft Certification Office. It provided no details on what modifications would qualify to enable the lifting of the grounding, which has now been applied to all 50 787s that had been in service worldwide. And it warned further action may also be required.
“We consider this AD interim action,” FAA stated, “As the investigation progresses, we might determine that additional action is necessary.”
FAA said the AD was prompted by the JAL and ANA 787 incidents “involving lithium ion battery failures that resulted in release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke … The cause of these failures is currently under investigation. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment.”
In a new airworthiness directive (AD), FAA said it has “evaluated all the relevant information and determined the unsafe condition [apparent on the Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways 787s] is likely to exist or develop in other products of the same type design.” It cited the “potential for fire in the [787] electrical compartment.”
FAA said the AD “requires modification of the [787] battery system, or other actions, in accordance with a method approved” by the manager of the agency’s Seattle Aircraft Certification Office. It provided no details on what modifications would qualify to enable the lifting of the grounding, which has now been applied to all 50 787s that had been in service worldwide. And it warned further action may also be required.
“We consider this AD interim action,” FAA stated, “As the investigation progresses, we might determine that additional action is necessary.”
FAA said the AD was prompted by the JAL and ANA 787 incidents “involving lithium ion battery failures that resulted in release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke … The cause of these failures is currently under investigation. We are issuing this AD to prevent damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment.”
