December 14, 2012, 7:12 p.m. ET
By JON OSTROWER
The Wall Street Journal
Boeing Co. is continuing
to investigate electrical issues on its new 787 Dreamliner after the
replacement of electrical-system parts on at least four aircraft, which
followed last week's emergency landing of a United Continental Holdings
Inc. jet and the grounding of a Qatar Airways jet.
A third jet, a 787 first
delivered to United Airlines in September, is currently out of service
as crews are replacing a suspect power panel and generator. A fourth
aircraft, an undelivered 787—destined for Qatar Airways—had a power
panel replaced following a test flight at Boeing's Everett, Wash.,
factory, according to people familiar with the matter.
A failed generator was
initially identified by United as the source of the electrical issue
that caused a 787 flight from Houston to Newark to divert to New Orleans
International Airport last week, but indications now point to a
different electrical issue, prompting an examination of panels and other
components that distribute electricity to the aircraft systems.
Boeing Chairman and Chief
Executive Jim McNerney on Friday told CNBC that the electrical issues
were considered to be normal for a new jetliner and on par with the
plane maker's experience with the 777.
An FAA spokeswoman said
the agency "is working closely with Boeing to identify the root cause of
recent generator issues with Boeing 787 aircraft," adding that
afterward, "we will work with Boeing to develop appropriate safety
actions."
New airplanes, including
Boeing's 777 in the mid-1990s and Airbus's A380 late last decade, have
faced well-publicized teething problems. But the Dreamliner's electrical
system is more critical to the operation of the aircraft than any of
Boeing's previous designs.
Boeing's design
eliminates a hot and hard to maintain system that bled hot air from the
engines to power many of the jet's systems, in favor of a more-electric
design that powers everything from the starting of the jet's engines and
de-icing the wings to the cabin environmental system.
Boeing spokeswoman Lori
Gunter said the plane maker continues to work with United, Qatar and
United Technologies Corp.'s Aerospace Systems unit—which supplies the
787's electrical system—to "make a final determination" of the cause of
the issues.
Both the Dreamliner
involved in the New Orleans emergency and recently delivered Qatar 787,
were delivered in late-November, within days of each other to each
airline.
The incidents haven't
slowed the deployment of the aircraft as both United and Qatar
inaugurated two new long-range routes with jet, connecting Houston to
Amsterdam and Doha to London this week, respectively, and United
spokeswoman Christen David said the 787 involved in the New Orleans
landing is now back in service.
Boeing flew the 787 with
two Japanese customers until late August, 11 months after its first
delivery in September 2011 and has added six airlines in the past five
months, rapidly accelerating deliveries, now having handed over 39 jets.
By contrast, Airbus, a
unit of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. delivered 41
double-deck A380 jets from 2007 through 2010.
—Andy Pasztor contributed to this article.
Source: http://online.wsj.com
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