Standing Up The Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Boeing 787 - Out of the Smoke

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner has become a bit of a nightmare to the Boeing company recently, with its high power electrical system, backed up by its big Lithium Ion batteries. The dawn is apparently coming with the recent FAA permission given to Boeing to test and certify the solutions to the Lithium Ion batteries problems of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The FAA and NTSB has become overly cautious to the point of grounding even the flight test Boeing 787 Dreamliners of the Boeing company. Flight test pilots and engineers are very aware of the risks of their jobs and they are paid for this. If the flight test Boeing 787 Dreamliners have been permitted to fly, more data could have been collected to get to the bottom of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner electrical system battery problems. It might possibly have expedited the provision of solutions.

Dreamliner Taking Off, Again

As far as fire is concerned, the biggest fire in an airliner occurs continuously in its big turbofan engines. But as it is designed to be contained and controlled, it does no harm to the airliner. Thus, I think the FAA and NTSB is overacting on the battery issue with its '1,000% safety requirement' pronouncements. And possibly, they might never pinpoint the actual causes of the two different JAL and ANA Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery fires.

Dreamliner over calm waters

From recent media reports, it seems Boeing will provide these solutions to stand up the Boeing 787 Dreamliner soonest to put it on service safely:

1. Safe Batteries - design, materials, fabrication, quality assurance, maintenance, more granular monitoring
2. Safe Electrical System - proper algorithms, safe electrical components, additional battery electrical isolation and protection
3. Safe Containment - fireproof case, gas venting to outside, no damage to surrounding components and structure

Dreamliner Future - Boeing 787-10

I will suggest the following additional measures:

1. Easy removal of battery case if it's on fire
2. Built in fire suppression system for the batteries
3. Fly the flight test Boeing 787 Dreamliners as airliners to monitor the aging process specially the high power electrical system, and composite main structures
4. Heavier monitoring of the first 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners built, and those that were laid up for a long time and underwent repeated modifications before delivery
5. Add more physical switches able to isolate major electrical sub systems

I hope to see the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying again carrying passengers safely in direct long-range city to city routes. No more plane changes in congested airport hubs.

B787 Dreamliner Off To Bright Future