Boeing 787 news

[sn26567]

India ministers approve Boeing Dreamliner delay compensation

An Indian ministerial panel has approved an undisclosed compensation package from Boeing for delayed delivery of Dreamliner aircraft for Air India this Wednesday. The package must now be cleared by India's cabinet.

And...

A nice shot of the first African Dreamliner for Ethiopian, landing at the Boeing Field: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernieleighton/7645626230/

And...

Nippon Cargo Airlines took delivery of their first 747-8 Freighter today (25JUL12); it will enter service by mid-August on Asia and North American routes. Atlas Air has received a fifth 747-8 Freighter. It is second aircraft of this type to be placed into service with Panalpina under an ACMI deal.

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After more than 3 years of assembly and re-rework, the first production 787, Airplane 7, ZA100, is slated to fly for the first time today.

[sn26567]

Dreamliner GEnx engine spews metal, starts fire at Charleston

Boeing, General Electric and US officials are investigating a malfunction that spewed metal debris from a GE engine on a 787 Dreamliner and caused a grass fire at the Charleston, South Carolina, airport. Material was ejected from the back of the engine during preflight testing.

The incident was the second in less than 10 days involving engines from GE and Rolls-Royce on Dreamliners. Japan’s All Nippon Airways pulled five 787s with Rolls-Royce engines from service on July 21 after the manufacturer found that some components had a shorter-than-expected service life.

The jet involved in the episode is due to go to Air India and is the first “significant issue” with GE’s new GEnx engine. About 100 of the units are in service.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-inc ... z224p3ryqJ

[sn26567]

Boeing 787 Dreamliner mishap brings safety concerns back

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is touted as the future of commercial aviation, but the 787 has been plagued with design and production delays and now, test flights are revealing new problems - and raising new questions.

Some engine parts fell off during a ground test at the Charleston, S.C. airport over the weekend, forcing officials to close the airport for more than an hour. No one was hurt, but some flights were diverted after the metal debris sparked a grass fire at the airport.

This mishap during Saturday's test once again has raised concerns. And because the engine is already used on other commercial aircraft, the National Transportation Safety Board wants to know what went wrong.

In a statement, Boeing said, "While the investigation is in its early stages, we are unaware of any operational issue that would present concerns about the continued safe operation of in-service 787s powered by GE engines."

Source: CBS

[tsv]

How Dodgy are these 787's? They don't work properly with Rolls Royce Motors or with GE Motors.

At least they go ok with the RAT deployed posting.php?mode=reply&f=7&t=44976&sid=88a7d3e71dc25710067fcf32d3a68a05#

I'm flying SCL-BUE-SCL in March with LAN and was hoping to Jag a 787. I'm starting to hope for an A320http://www.luchtzak.be/forums/posti ... 2d3a68a05#

[RoMax]

Almost everyone expects this to be just a one off issue. Neither the FAA or NTSB talk about safety issues (neither Boeing or GE). If they expect this to be a possibly big issue (or at least an issue involving more GEnX engines) they would ground the GE fleet or ask for inspections.

The RR problem was also rather limited, involving 'only' 16 RR engines (some planes had two of them, others just one) with the faulty gearbox

[sn26567]

After refusing to take delivery of their 787s for lack of a satisfactory compensation for the delay, Air India was finally ready to accept the aircraft. Not anymore! Air India has “advised” Boeing that it would not take delivery of the Boeing 787 till the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Authority investigation into an incident on a new aircraft is complete.

Will we ever see an Air India 787 in India?

[RoMax]

OMG, the engine involved in the problem is transported to another place for investigation (that will start tomorrow if I'm correct). Neither the FAA or NTSB seem to be too hurried to find the problem and Boeing and GE claim there is not safety issue and GE powered aircraft deliveries are not delayed...

Well probably the FAA, NTSB, Boeing and GE have not idea what they are doing, taking a tremendous safety risk, possibly bringing Air India pax in danger.

I believe AI will have an extremely hard time negotiating an attractive contract with Boeing for a future order...

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The first United 787 will first be flown on domestic routes, and later between Denver and Tokyo Narita. Brussels is not yet in the books....

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Ethiopian becomes the first non-Japanese airline to receive the Boeing 787 next week, with a one-time only Washington Dulles – Addis Ababa revenue flight on 14AUG12. The 787 is scheduled to enter regular service on Addis Ababa - Johannesburg route from 26AUG12.

Lufthansa begins Boeing 747-8 service to Delhi today.

[RoMax]

QR and AI are also comming near first delivery. Tough you may exclude AI...

[sn26567]

QR and AI are also comming near first delivery.

...and LAN

[RoMax]

QR and AI are also comming near first delivery.

...and LAN

Planned for September (or late August in the very best case), so ET, QR and AI will (or at least 'should') be earlier.

[sn26567]

Ethiopian becomes the first non-Japanese airline to receive the Boeing 787 next week, with a one-time only Washington Dulles – Addis Ababa revenue flight on 14AUG12. The 787 is scheduled to enter regular service on Addis Ababa - Johannesburg route from 26AUG12.

The regular service to JNB is postponed in order for the 787 to make a tour of African and Asian destinations of ET. The regular flights to these destinations will be for a single trip made by the Dreamliner.

Kinshasa will thus see a 787 before Brussels!

It is a pity that ET does not do the same for European destinations (except FRA on 29AUG12).

[Passenger]

Dreamliner GEnx engine spews metal, starts fire at Charleston
Boeing, General Electric and US officials are investigating a malfunction that spewed metal debris from a GE engine on a 787 Dreamliner and caused a grass fire at the Charleston, South Carolina, airport. Material was ejected from the back of the engine during preflight testing. The incident was the second in less than 10 days involving engines from GE and Rolls-Royce on Dreamliners. Japan’s All Nippon Airways pulled five 787s with Rolls-Royce engines from service on July 21 after the manufacturer found that some components had a shorter-than-expected service life. The jet involved in the episode is due to go to Air India and is the first “significant issue” with GE’s new GEnx engine. About 100 of the units are in service.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-inc ... z224p3ryqJ

NTSB Washington - August 8, 2012. The National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation of the July 28, 2012 contained engine failure that occurred on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner during a pre-delivery taxi test in Charleston, South Carolina. A contained engine failure is a specific engine design feature in which components might separate inside the engine but either remain within the engine’s cases or exit the engine through the tail pipe. This design feature generally does not pose immediate safety risks. Last week, the NTSB sent an investigator to the scene to gather information on the incident and subsequently launched a full investigation into the cause of the failure, led by NTSB Investigator-in-Charge, Mr. David Helson. On August 1, 2012, a team of experts from the NTSB, FAA, Boeing and GE Aviation specializing in engine systems and metallurgy traveled to a GE facility in Cincinnati, OH to disassemble and examine the failed GEnx engine. GE is the manufacturer of the GEnx engine. The parties to the investigation have been extremely cooperative in assisting NTSB personnel in its review and assessment.

As a result of the investigative work to date, the NTSB has determined that a fan mid-shaft on the failed GEnx engine fractured at the forward end of the shaft, rear of the threads where the retaining nut is installed. The fan mid-shaft is undergoing several detailed examinations including dimensional and metallurgical inspections. The GEnx engine is a newly designed aircraft engine. It is a “dual shaft” engine, meaning that one shaft connects the compressor spool at one end to the high pressure turbine spool at the other end. A longer “fan shaft” connects the fan and booster in the front of the engine to the low pressure turbine in the back.

The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which is a combined unit on the 787 Dreamliner, was transported to the agency's Recorders Laboratory in Washington, DC for processing and readout. Both recordings captured the event and analysis is ongoing. Moving forward, investigators will continue the detailed examination of the engine and metallurgical analysis of its components. The investigators have also begun reviewing the engine manufacturing and assembly records. This investigation is ongoing. The information released today is factual in nature and does not include any analysis. Additional factual information may be released as it is developed.

[sn26567]

The NTSB has determined that a fan mid-shaft on the failed GEnx engine fractured at the forward end of the shaft, rear of the threads where the retaining nut is installed.

A diagram to show where the fracture occurred: http://www.flickr.com/photos/flightblogger/7741859490/

[earthman]

What good is the CVR going to be here?

"Commencing take-off"
*whirrr*
*BANG*
"Crap."

[RoMax]

What good is the CVR going to be here?

"Commencing take-off"
*whirrr*
*BANG*
"Crap."

The noise of the engine(s) can help explain how something happened, or it may help in future events involving this engine type.

[flightlover]

The Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder could also be combined in one unit.
Don't know if it is in the B787.

[RoMax]

Ok, it seems Boeing has some bussy weeks ahaid. They want to deliver at least 8 Dreamliners this month.

- 3 for ANA
- 1 for JAL
- 1 for Ethiopian
- 1 for Qatar
- 1 for LAN (Chile)
- Up to 3 for Air India (probably just one or two as AI said they'll take delivery of their 787's with about 7-10 days between two deliveries)

But let's not be too optimistic, some months ago they also had 7 possible deliveries in one month (May, June? don't remember anymore), eventually they only delivered 3...

For who is interested, so for 12 deliveries this year and 3 in 2011:

- 11 in service with ANA
- 4 in service with JAL