Boeing Fixes to Be Extensive

With Boeing Co. about to start testing a redesigned battery system for its grounded 787 Dreamliner, the company now faces the challenge of manufacturing and installing fixes that are more extensive than many industry officials expected.

The package of fixes to the 787's lithium-ion battery system, which U.S. regulators tentatively approved this week, includes a redesigned battery charger, according to Boeing and industry officials familiar with the details.

Customers and others initially briefed on the aerospace giant's plans hadn't anticipated modifications to the battery charger, manufactured by Securaplane Technologies Inc., a U.S.-based unit of Britain's Meggitt PLC.

The decision to redo the battery charger highlights the interdependence of portions of the jet's cutting-edge electrical system, which relies more heavily on lithium power packs than did any previous jetliner. The charger hasn't been directly tied to battery problems, but it is part of a complex electrical web that requires a delicate balancing act in order to prevent potentially dangerous power surges or rapid discharges.

The package also includes a redesign of the interior spacing of the battery, a more-fireproof metal container, and a new system to vent smoke and fumes overboard.

Boeing's flagship jetliner has been grounded for eight weeks, after batteries burned in January aboard a pair of Dreamliners operated by Japanese carriers. In both instances, investigators determined there were sharp, unexpected fluctuations in voltage shortly before the batteries overheated, though there was no evidence of overcharging.

U.S. and Japanese investigators haven't pinpointed a specific cause for the overheating.

In describing pending battery-system changes on Tuesday, Boeing didn't specifically mention a redone battery charger. The Chicago plane maker did say that some of its proposed improvements "focus on tightening of the system's voltage range," an apparent reference to unwanted power fluctuations.

The National Transportation Safety Board this month said it didn't find any problems of "anomalies" when it tested a battery charger—along with another electrical component made by Securaplane—taken off a Japan Airlines Co.  plane that had one of its lithium-ion batteries ignite on the ground in Boston.

Securaplane didn't respond to requests for comment.

While preparing for flight tests anticipated to start as early as this weekend, Boeing has been finalizing a detailed manufacturing and installation plan for the design changes. Before new hardware is delivered, That implementation plan must be approved by U.S. and Japanese aviation regulators who will oversee quality-control measures. A spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration didn't have any immediate comment.

Ray Conner, the head of Boeing's commercial airplane unit, 10 days ago said that company officials anticipate incorporation of the fixes "will move really fast" once final FAA approval is granted. Mr. Conner and other senior Boeing officials were scheduled to hold a press conference in Japan Friday outlining their plans for the 787.

Late last month, FAA chief Michael Huerta told lawmakers that investigators looking into the Boston event had identified "a handful of potential areas of probable cause, and they are all within the battery."

Boeing faces other potential complications as it looks to carry out its 787 recovery plan. Industry officials said at least one major 787 customer has asked Boeing about the possibility of finding a second supplier for the lithium-ion batteries. Japan's GS Yuasa Corp.is currently the sole supplier.

One person familiar with the customer's push to add another supplier said an alternate version with different lithium-ion electrochemistry would help mitigate long-term concerns about the jet.

Boeing has said it remains committed to using lithium-ion batteries on the 787 and that its relationship with Yuasa is strong.

"We see no need to bring on an additional battery supplier," said Boeing spokesman Marc Birtel.

Sourcing 787 aircraft systems from multiple suppliers is not uncommon. Airlines currently can choose between providers of galley equipment, brakes and in-flight entertainment, for example.

Airlines are expected to do their own flight testing--after fixes are installed but before their 787s return to service--to ensure that the planes, which have sat dormant since Jan. 16, are performing normally.

But reaching final agreement on manufacturing and quality-control issues could be time consuming. Last month, the FAA chief told a House aviation subcommittee that after agency approval of the overall concept for fixes, there still would have to be "a great deal of further analysis and re-engineering" before the planes could resume passenger flights.

The prospect of flight tests has cheered investors and analysts, prompting some upgrades of Boeing's stock. The shares closed at $84.62 in 4 p.m. trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange, down 0.15% on the day but about 9% above their level before the battery problems emerged.

Still another headache for Boeing is persuading Japanese regulators, renowned for their caution and often slow-moving decision process, to rapidly embrace the FAA-approved fixes. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways Co., the 787's launch customer, together own nearly half of the 50 Dreamliners delivered so far. All Nippon Airways also experienced a burning lithium-ion battery on one of its 787s in January, prompting an emergency landing and passenger evacuation.

Mr. Conner was in Tokyo roughly two weeks ago to privately brief the two carriers about progress, and he apologized for Boeing's slipups. His Friday press briefing there is intended to be the plane maker's first in-depth explanation of the jet's redesigned battery system.

In addition to onboard fixes, the package of safety enhancements backed by the FAA calls for stepped-up inspections and quality-control testing at Yuasa's battery factory. U.S. air-safety officials continue to delve into Yuasa's manufacturing safeguards, though the NTSB hasn't pinpointed an internal battery defect or contaminant as the cause of the overheating. 

Source:  http://online.wsj.com