Press Release from the NTSB regarding the JAL Boeing 787 January 7th incident investigation.
NTSB Provides Third Investigative Update on Boeing 787 Battery Fire in Boston

The National Transportation Safety Board today released a third update on its investigation into the Jan. 7 fire aboard a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Logan International Airport in Boston.

The lithium-ion battery that powered the auxiliary power unit has been examined in the NTSB Materials Laboratory in Washington. The battery was x-rayed and CT scans were generated of the assembled battery. The investigative team has disassembled the APU battery into its eight individual cells for detailed examination and documentation. Three of the cells were selected for more detailed radiographic examination to view the interior of the cells prior to their disassembly. These cells are in the process now of being disassembled and the cell’s internal components are being examined and documented.

Investigators have also examined several other components removed from the airplane, including wire bundles and battery management circuit boards. The team has developed test plans for the various components removed from the aircraft, including the battery management unit (for the APU battery), the APU controller, the battery charger and the start power unit. On Tuesday, the group will convene in Arizona to test and examine the battery charger and download nonvolatile memory from the APU controller. Several other components have been sent for download or examination to Boeing’s facility in Seattle and manufacturer’s facilities in Japan.

Finally, examination of the flight recorder data from the JAL B-787 airplane indicate that the APU battery did not exceed its designed voltage of 32 volts.

In accordance with international investigative treaties, the Japan Transport Safety Board and French Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile have appointed accredited representatives to this investigation. Similarly, the NTSB has assigned an accredited representative to assist with the JTSB’s investigation of the Jan. 15 battery incident involving an All Nippon Airways B-787. Both investigations remain ongoing.

Further investigative updates on the JAL B-787 incident will be issued as events warrant. To be alerted to any updates or developments, please follow the NTSB on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ntsb.

NTSB, WASHINGTON, January 20, 2013

JAL SIGNS AN AGREEMENT TO ADD A NEW EMBRAER 170 JET TO ITS FLEET

After delivering ten EMBRAER 170 jets to Japan Airlines (JAL), Embraer has signed an amendment to the original contract, signed in June 2007 with the Japanese airline, for a new E170 jet. The value of the deal, at list price, is USD 38 million.



As the previous ones, this E170, powered by GE CF34-8E engines, will be configured for 76 passengers, in a single class, and will be operated by J-AIR, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of JAL, serving the company’s regional network in Japan. Delivery is planned for the last quarter of 2012.

“JAL’s latest order is an important recognition of the E-Jets excellent performance in terms of schedule reliability, comfort and economics,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, Embraer President, Commercial Aviation. “We continue to build a solid relationship with JAL, which has been deploying our E-Jets to right-size some of its narrow-body markets and developing new routes across Japan.”

“With this additional EMBRAER 170 order, Japan Airlines continues the process of optimizing its domestic route network, begun in February 2009, when the first E-Jet started commercial service at J-Air. The E170 is extremely popular for a variety of reasons. First, with our business customers because it allows us to add flights as demand in key markets grows; second, our shareholders because of the fleet's economic contribution to our turn-around plan; and third, our Operations Department because it is among the most reliable airplanes we operate today," said Tsuyoshi Yamamura, J-AIR President and JAL Executive Officer.

With the current fleet of ten E170s, J-Air replaced old and inefficient aircraft on routes such as Tokyo-Haneda to Nanki-Shirahama and between Osaka-Itami to Aomori. The airline also re-launched some routes, including Osaka-Itami to Miyazaki, previously flown with old and bigger jets, adjusting capacity to demand.

Embraer, Singapore, April 4, 2012

Finnair’s oneworld partner Japan Airlines (JAL) will start flying from Tokyo to Helsinki four times per week beginning March 2013. Finnair and JAL have operated codeshares together for several years, and the new flight deepens their cooperation. JAL is planning timetables so that flights arriving in the afternoon in Helsinki will have optimal transfers to Finnair’s onward European connections.

In current codeshare arrangements between the two airlines, four flights operated by JAL to destinations in Japan (Haneda, Fukuoka, Sapporo and Okinawa) also carry Finnair flight numbers. JAL meanwhile has its own flight numbers for all Finnair flights between Helsinki and Japan (Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya) as well as for 11 onward Finnair flights to European destinations.

“We wish JAL a warm welcome in Finland,” says Finnair President and CEO Mika Vehviläinen. “We are happy to expand our well-functioning cooperation and to strengthen even further our position in Asia.”

Finnair Plc Press release 15/02.2012