Flight Safety Information January 16, 2013 - No. 014 In This Issue Boeing Dreamliner grounded by US regulator FAA Grounds 787s FAA orders 787 grounding until battery problem fixed PROS IOSA Audit Experts Boeing Dreamliner grounded by US regulator United, the only US carrier flying 787s, currently operates six (BBC) The US aviation regulator has told US airlines to temporarily ground Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, following a battery fault on one of the aircraft in Japan. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that airlines must demonstrate that batteries are safe before flights can resume. United Airlines is currently the only US airline operating the 787. Earlier, Japan's two main airlines grounded their 787s after the battery failure prompted an emergency landing. All Nippon Airways (ANA) grounded its fleet of 17 Dreamliners when its flight NH 692 from Yamaguchi Ube was forced to land shortly after take-off. Japan Airlines then took similar action, saying it would ground its fleet of seven 787s from 16 January until further notice. Boeing shares closed down more than 3% on Wall Street on Wednesday. Broader problems In recent weeks, Dreamliners have suffered issues including fuel leaks, a cracked cockpit window, brake problems and an electrical fire. Late Wednesday, the FAA said it would work with the manufacturer and carriers on an action plan to allow the US 787 fleet to resume operations as quickly and safely as possible. "The in-flight Japanese battery incident followed an earlier 787 battery incident that occurred on the ground in Boston on January 7, 2013," the regulator said. "The AD (airworthiness directive) is prompted by this second incident involving a lithium ion battery." It said the battery failures resulted in the release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke, and the cause of the failures was under investigation. "These conditions, if not corrected, could result in damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment," the FAA said. The regulator added that when it issues an airworthiness directive, it also alerts the international aviation community so that other authorities can take parallel action to cover the fleets operating in their countries. Back to Top FAA Grounds 787s Video: Evacuation of Boeing 787 Dreamliner after emergency landing in Japan The U.S. FAA has grounded the six Boeing 787-8 aircraft operated by United Airlines , the only U.S. carrier flying the type to date, as problems with the widebody's lithium ion batteries continue to dog the in-service fleet. "As a result of an inflight Boeing 787 battery incident earlier [Jan. 16] in Japan, the FAA will issue an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) to address a potential battery fire risk in the 787 and require operators to temporarily cease operations," the agency says in a press release, issued Wednesday evening in Washington. "Before further flight, operators of U.S.-registered, Boeing 787 aircraft must demonstrate to the [ FAA ] that the batteries are safe." Today's incident involved an All Nippon Airways 787 that declared an emergency and diverted due to "multiple messages in the cockpit concerning the battery and other systems that were reported," says the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board , which has dispatched an investigator to Japan to analyze the aircraft. The crew reported smoke in the cockpit and an odor in the cabin, the NTSB report said. The incident followed an earlier 787 battery incident that occurred on a Japan Airlines 787 on the ground in Boston on Jan. 7, also under investigation by the NTSB . Both battery failures "resulted in release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage, and smoke," says the FAA . "The root cause of these failures is currently under investigation," the FAA says. "These conditions, if not corrected, could result in damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment." Both ANA and Japan Airlines have voluntarily grounded their fleets. The FAA on Jan. 11 announced a "comprehensive review" of the 787's "critical systems," and says there may be "further action pending new data and information." "In addition to the continuing review of the aircraft's design, manufacture and assembly, the agency also will validate that 787 batteries and the battery system on the aircraft are in compliance with the special condition the agency issued as part of the aircraft's certification," the FAA says. The FAA says it has alerted "the international aviation community to the action so other civil aviation authorities can take parallel action to cover the fleets operating in their own countries." United Airlines said in a statement that it "will immediately comply with the Airworthiness Directive and will work closely with the FAA and Boeing on the technical review as we work toward restoring 787 service. We will begin reaccommodating customers on alternate aircraft ." http://www.aviationweek.com. Back to Top FAA orders 787 grounding until battery problem fixed The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will ground all US-registered Boeing 787s until Boeing demonstrates the lithium-ion-polymer batteries on board are safe. The agency intends to issue an emergency airworthiness directive to "address a potential battery fire risk in the 787 and require operators to temporarily cease operations". The directive comes after two incidents involving battery failures. A 787 operated by All Nippon Airways made an emergency landing on 15 January after a battery malfunctioned, reportedly spreading smoke into the cockpit and odours into the passenger cabin. On 7 January, a fire erupted in the battery compartment of a parked Japan Airlines 787 in Boston, and the battery exploded. Boeing was not immediately available to comment on the FAA's directive. http://www.flightglobal.com Curt Lewis