Boeing 787 Dreamliner in traffic , NEWS (Cont.)

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Eye at the Sky: LAN Airlines’ new 787 Dreamliner

For aviation and travel geeks alike, one of the biggest travel stories over the past year
has been the roll out of Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The plane has been celebrated for its environmental advancements and innovative design. Boeing says that the 787 uses up to 20% less CO2 than similar aircraft, and has a 40% smaller noise footprint at takeoff. Half of the structure is made from carbon fiber composite material, which is more resistant to fatigue and corrosion (which means the planes will last longer).

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http://travel.usatoday.com/alliance/destinations/chrisaroundtheworld/post/2012/08/Eye-at-the-Sky-LAN-Airlines-new-787-Dreamliner/836940/1?

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More problems discovered with Boeing's Dreamliner

United Airlines has reportedly found a wiring problem on one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

It is an issue that affects the same system that caused a fire on a Japan Airlines 787 in Boston on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source.

The US airline found improperly installed wiring in electrical components associated with the auxiliary power unit, the newspaper reported.

United examined the components after the fire on Monday, which took the JAL aircraft out of service following a flight from Tokyo.

A United spokeswoman said the carrier inspected its 787s after the Boston incident, but she declined to confirm the WSJ report or to discuss the results of the inspections.

Meanwhile, a fuel leak on another 787 caused JAL to cancel its takeoff from Boston's Logan airport - the second incident in as many days involving the new aircraft.

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http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/01/09/42744/more+problems+discovered+with+boeings+dreamliner.html

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Special Report: Aircraft review - the Dreamliner

Qatar Airways became the first airline to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Britain last month. Ian Taylor was on the first flight from Doha to Heathrow

The Boeing 787 is light and airy, especially in business class. It certainly has the big windows you’ve heard about.

I was fortunate to have a window seat, at the back of the 22-seat business cabin where the window is set forward, meaning there is no direct view out.

However, the strikingly large windows mean you can see out wherever you sit, removing the feeling of sensory deprivation long flights can give. The windows darken at the touch of a button.

The business seats are configured at an angle, four to a row in a one-two-one configuration which means every seat has aisle access.

There is ample legroom for tall passengers. A table extends to join the shelf at the side of the seat to create a fair-size desk. It is exceptionally comfortable to work.

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http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2013/01/09/42749/special-report-aircraft-review-the-dreamliner.html

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Dreamliner flight cancelled after brake problem in Japan:

TOKYO: A Boeing Dreamliner flight by Japan's All Nippon Airways had to be cancelled
Wednesday because of a brake problem, an airport spokesman said.
ANA 698 was cancelled because brake parts from the rear left undercarriage needed to be replaced,
said the spokesman at Yamaguchi Ube airport in western Japan.
On Tuesday a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 was grounded in Boston following a fuel spill,
one day after another plane of the same type suffered a fire.

http://www.brecorder.com/business-a-finance/industries-a-sectors/100036.html

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Japan Airlines says Boeing 787 fuel leak due to unclosed valve

TOKYO, Jan 9 (KUNA) -- Japan Airlines Co. (JAL) said Wednesday the cause of the fuel leak in its Boeing 787 Dreamliner at a US airport bound for Tokyo on the previous day is a malfunctioning valve.
"The valve on a pipe connecting the fuel tank in the aircraft's body with the left wing was open, and this caused fuel to spill out," JAL said. The fuel leak forced flight JL 007 with 181 passengers and 11 crew members to postpone takeoff.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was towed back to the gate after about 150 liters of jet fuel leaked when the plane was taxiing toward the runway for takeoff. All passengers temporarily disembarked and the aircraft eventually left for Tokyo after almost four hours. None of the passengers and crew on board was injured. JAL said it plans to inspect the aircraft further after it arrives in Tokyo's Narita Airport later in the day. It was the second incident in two days involving JAL's brand-new Dreamliner at the same airport.
On Monday at Logan Airport, an electrical fire erupted on another JAL-operated Dreamliner arriving from Tokyo shortly after passengers and crew disembarked. The fire broke out in a battery in the plane's auxiliary power unit, which is used when the jet's engines are turned off. The Dreamliner jet is Boeing's latest model. JAL has ordered a total of 45 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, including seven it is already operating. (end) mk.asa KUNA 091317 Jan 13NNNN

http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2285702&Language=en

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Dreamliner fire focus on battery unit

A Japan Airlines 787 experienced a battery fire while parked on the ground in Boston on Monday, causing substantial damage in an equipment bay. While the plane is designed to contain the smoke from such a fire in-flight, because it was on the ground the smoke entered the cabin.

The use of the new battery technology is among the cost-saving features of the 787, which Boeing says burns 20 percent less fuel than rival jets using older technology.

Boeing used electrical systems extensively on the 787 instead of traditional hydraulic equipment - a change that reduced the 787's weight but added to its complexity.

Lithium-ion batteries can catch fire if they are overcharged, and once alight, they are difficult to extinguish because the chemicals produce oxygen, Boeing's chief engineer for the 787, Mike Sinnett, said on a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

Engineers designed multiple onboard systems to prevent overcharging, contain a battery fire and siphon smoke away before it reaches the cabin, Sinnett said.

He said a lithium-ion battery was not the only choice of battery, but "it was the right choice" and "knowing what I know now, I'd make the same choice now." ...............................

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http://www.businessworld.ie/livenews.htm?a=3022420;s=rollingnews.htm

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Japan's ANA cancels flight due to 787 computer bug

TOKYO Japan's All Nippon Airways says it cancelled a domestic flight to Tokyo on Wednesday after a computer wrongly indicated there was a problem with the Boeing (BA) 787's brakes.

Etsuya Uchiyama, an ANA spokesman in Tokyo, said Thursday that the passengers on NH698, due to fly from Yamaguchi in southern Japan to Tokyo's Haneda airport, were transferred to a later flight.

Boeing defends Dreamliner
Boeing 787: New Dreamliner has growing pains

He said the problem was fixed and the plane later returned to Tokyo
Boeing 787s were involved in two incidents at a U.S. airport this week that sparked new concerns about the plane. Uchiyama said ANA had seen a computer problem like Wednesday's once before but that small glitches were to be expected with a new model aircraft and the problems seen so far with the 787 Dreamliner were typical.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57563218/

video........http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57563218/

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Dreamliner NZ-US flights questioned

United States regulators are questioning the ability of the new Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft to make long-distance, trans-Ocean flights, such as those between the US and New Zealand.
The US's Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] has been monitoring the Dreamliner's long haul reliability even before a number of aircraft malfunctions hit the headlines this week, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
The tighter oversight and potential extension of FAA restrictions on how far 787s can fly from suitable emergency landing strips could affect flights into New Zealand and Air New Zealand's use of the 10 787 aircraft it has ordered from Boeing.
After several years of production delays Air New Zealand is supposed to take delivery of its first 787 in the second half of 2014, and the airline said it was too early for it to comment on any reliability issues with the craft.
The WSJ specifically mentioned the long-haul, trans-Pacific route from Houston to Auckland as one which could be in danger from tighter regulations.
Three incidents this week have drawn attention to the Dreamliner's problems, but airlines have downplayed the issues as "teething problems".
On Tuesday a Japan Airlines 787 cabin filled with smoke from an electrical fire just moments after passengers disembarked in Boston following a flight from Tokyo.
In another incident at the same airport another JAL 787 was diverted from taking off after a fuel leak was discovered.
Japan's All Nippon Airways was also forced to cancel a 787 flight from Yamaguchi prefecture in western Japan to Tokyo due to brake problems.
Current FAA regulations restrict 787s to only flying routes that are within three hours flight of a suitable emergency landing airport.

A three-hour restriction could have implications for Air New Zealand's reach into the United States - a problem which the Dreamliner's superior range and fuel efficiency was supposed to solve.

Those restrictions were set to relax as the reliability of the 787 was tested and Boeing had been quoted as saying it expected the flight restriction to extend to 330 minutes, or five and a half hours, by early 2012.

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/8168580/

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UPDATE 1-Windscreen crack is latest Boeing Dreamliner mishap

* Flight from Tokyo landed safely at Matsuyama airport

* No injuries reported

* Cockpit window had spider web-like crack

* Dreamliner due to launch ANA Tokyo-San Jose service later Friday

* India "concerned" at 787 glitches - govt official

By Kentaro Sugiyama and James Topham

TOKYO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - A Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner operated by All Nippon Airways Co landed safely on a domestic flight in Japan on Friday after a crack appeared in a cockpit window.

The flight from Tokyo's Haneda Airport landed at Matsuyama airport in western Japan and the plane's return flight to Tokyo was cancelled. No one was injured.

It is the fourth incident this week to test confidence in the Dreamliner, the world's first carbon-composite airliner, which comes with a list price of $207 million.

U.S. transportation authorities are launching a review of the aircraft, a source told Reuters, in the wake of separate mishaps involving an electrical fire, a fuel leak and a brake-control computer glitch. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration will announce a review into the jet's power system at a press conference later on Friday, Bloomberg News reported.

ANA said crew noticed a spider web-like crack in a window in front of the pilot's seat about 70 minutes into Friday's flight, which was close to its destination.

"Cracks appear a few times every year in other planes. We don't see this as a sign of a fundamental problem" with Boeing aircraft, a spokesman for the airline said.

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http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/11/boeing-dreamliner-ana-idUSL4N0AG3BU20130111?rpc=401

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Why the FAA wants a closer look at the Boeing 787 Dreamliner

The Boeing 787 faces a comprehensive review of key systems by the FAA. The 787 Dreamliner is Boeing's newest, most advanced commercial jet, but has been beset by malfunctions in recent days.

By Joan Lowy, Associated Press / January 11, 2013

A Japan Airlines 787, from which about 40 gallons of fuel spilled at Boston's Logan International Airport Tuesday, arrives at Narita Airport near Tokyo Wednesday night.

The Federal Aviation Administration is undertaking a comprehensive review of the critical systems of Boeing's 787s, the aircraft maker's newest and most technologically advanced plane, after a fire and a fuel leak earlier this week, the agency said Friday.

In Pictures: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The review will include the design, manufacture and assembly of those systems, the FAA said in a statement. Officials plan to detail the review at a news conference Friday morning.

The 787, which Boeing calls the "Dreamliner," relies more than any other modern airliner on electrical signals to help power nearly everything the plane does. It's also the first Boeing plane to use rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which charge faster and can be molded to space-saving shapes compared to other airplane batteries. The plane is made with lightweight composite materials instead of aluminum.

RECOMMENDED: 6 stories from a veteran flight attendant

A Boeing official said the company is working with the FAA. The FAA statement gave no indication that the agency intends to limit or prohibit the 787 from flying during the review.

"We are absolutely confident in the reliability and performance of the 787," Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel said. "We are working with the FAA and our customers to ensure we thoroughly understand any introductory issues that arise. While we take each issue seriously, nothing we've seen in service causes us to doubt the capabilities of the airplane."

A fire ignited Monday in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of a Japan Airlines 787 empty of passengers as the plane sat on the tarmac at Boston's Logan International Airport. It took firefighters 40 minutes to put out the blaze. Also this week, a fuel leak delayed a flight from Boston to Tokyo of another Japan Airlines 787.

On Friday, Japan's All Nippon Airways reported two new cases of problems with the aircraft. ANA spokeswoman Ayumi Kunimatsu said a very small amount of oil was discovered leaking from the left engine of a 787 flight from southern Japan's Miyazaki airport to Tokyo.

The jet returned to Miyazaki, but after checks found no safety risk it flew to Tokyo. ANA said on another flight, to Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku, glass in a cockpit window cracked and the aircraft was grounded for repairs.

Boeing has insisted that the 787's problems are no worse than what it experienced when its 777 was new in the mid-1990s. That plane is now one of its top-sellers and is well-liked by airlines.

RECOMMENDED: 6 stories from a veteran flight attendant

Follow Joan Lowy at http:www.twitter.com//AP_Joan_Lowy

http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/La...87-Dreamliner?

FAA to review Boeing 787 Dreamliner; two new incidents in Japan

http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2013/01/11/faa-to-review-boeing-787-dreamliner.html

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Boeing 787 Dreamliner in traffic , NEWS (Cont.)

Most of these incidents are isolated and could happen with any aircraft in service. The review is anyway not a bad exercise for a new airplane.

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Boeing 787 Dreamliner Makes First San Jose Stop Without Problems

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) — A Boeing 787 Dreamliner, currently under a major review by federal authorities over safety concerns, took off Friday from Mineta San Jose International Airport on a direct flight to Tokyo without any difficulties, an airport spokeswoman said.

The All Nippon Airways-owned aircraft started the airline’s new nonstop service from San Jose to Japan when the plane lifted off at 11:54 a.m. and will arrive in Tokyo around 4:10 p.m. Saturday, airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes said.

The Boeing 787 landed in San Jose from a flight from Tokyo at 9:25 a.m. Friday, 50 minutes earlier than expected, Barnes said.

“There was no issue with the aircraft flight landing and departing,” Barnes said.

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http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/01/11/boeing-787-dreamliner-makes-first-san-jose-stop-without-problems/

ANA's new San Jose-Tokyo 787 Dreamliner flight takes off

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_22356504/anas-new-san-jose-tokyo-787-dreamliner-flight

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Dreamliner now flies to Paris from Delhi

Air India on Thursday launched a daily flight on the Delhi-Paris-Delhi sector with a new Boeing 787 Dreamliner from the IGI airport.

The airline received the sixth Dreamliner only six days ago.

Dreamliners fly from Delhi to Dubai and Frankfurt, in addition to some domestic sectors.

Next destination

The next destination to be served by the aircraft is likely to be London by next month.

Two more Dreamliners are expected to be delivered within this financial year.

Air India has 27 of these planes on order, each with 18 full-flat business seats and 238 in the economy wing.

It has begun replacing its 777s with these more fuel-efficient new planes, which are built of composite material, on its international routes out of Delhi and Mumbai over the past two months.

http://www.thehindu.com/business/companies/dreamliner-now-flies-to-paris-from-delhi/article4302294.ece

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Another fuel spill hits Boeing 787

TOKYO: A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 suffered a fuel spill on Sunday for the second time in a week, a report said.

The latest incident happened at Tokyo's Narita Airport, Jiji Press newswire reported, while the aircraft was being checked following a fuel spill on Tuesday in Boston.

The airline could not be reached for comment about the report.

On Friday US regulators announced an in-depth safety review of the 787 Dreamliner after a recent spate of incidents involving the new high-tech aircraft.

On Monday last week a fire broke out on a JAL Dreamliner after it landed in Boston from Japan.

JAL, along with fellow Japanese firm All Nippon Airways, is one of Boeing's most important clients for the 787 with 45 orders.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1247643/1/.html

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft does a flyby at the Farnborough Airshow, Hampshire, 2010. (AFP/File - Ben Stansall)

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Grounded Dreamliner leaks fuel in tests by Japanese airline

Tokyo—
Japan Airlines Co (JAL) said on Sunday that a Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner jet undergoing checks in Tokyo following a fuel leak at Boston airport last week had leaked fuel during tests earlier in the day.

An open valve on the aircraft caused fuel to leak from a nozzle on the left wing used to remove fuel, a company spokeswoman said. The jet is out of service after spilling about 40 gallons of fuel onto the airport taxiway in Boston due to a separate valve-related problem.

In Boston, a different valve on the plane opened, causing fuel to flow from the centre tank to the left main tank. When that tank filled up, it overflowed into a surge tank and out through a vent.

The causes of both the incidents are unknown, the JAL spokeswoman added.

There is no timetable for the plane to return to service.

On Friday, the U.S. government ordered a wide-ranging review of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, citing concern over a fire and other problems, but insisted the passenger jet was still safe to fly.

JAL and local rival All Nippon Airways Co fly 24 of the 49 Dreamliners delivered to end-December.

(Reporting by James Topham; Editing by Jeremy Laurence and Catherine Evans)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-dreamliner-fuel-leak-20130113,0,3974802.story

JAL's grounded Dreamliner jet leaks fuel in tests

http://news.yahoo.com/jal-says-dreamliner-leaks-fuel-during-tests-132103757--finance.html