Boeing Cites Flaw in GE-Powered Dreamliners, 747s: Operators Warned to Avoid High-Altitude Thunderstorms

The Wall Street Journal

By Andy Pasztor and Jon Ostrower

Nov. 23, 2013 7:48 p.m. ET

Boeing Co. has urged operators of 787 Dreamliners and the newest 747 models that are powered by General Electric Co. engines to take special precautions to avoid high-altitude thunderstorms that can cause engine malfunctions.

The recommendation, which affects 17 passenger and cargo carriers flying planes equipped with the GEnx family of engines, ratchets up industry efforts to prevent dangerous engine icing that can lead to sudden loss of thrust, internal damage and in extreme cases, even a brief in-flight shutdown.

Boeing's action prompted Japan Airlines Co. to replace 787 Dreamliners on routes linking Tokyo with New Delhi and Singapore, as well as to drop plans for using 787s between Tokyo and Sydney.

There have been six icing-related incidents with such engines since April, most recently in early November, affecting five 747s and one 787. GE has said all of the aircraft that experienced engine issues landed safely at their destinations, and in every case the engines resumed normal thrust.

Nevertheless, the actions by Boeing and Japan Airlines, a major 787 customer, underscore escalating industry concern over the issue.

GE previously advised airlines about the problem and told them work was under way to come up with a solution. Software fixes are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2014.

Before that, U.S. and foreign regulators are expected to mandate Boeing's nonbinding safety recommendation and require airlines to install the revised engine-control software, according to industry officials. The Federal Aviation Administration has to test and approve the changes before they can be rolled out.

A Boeing spokesman said "changes will be introduced into the fleet as soon as they are available."

Japan Airlines said in a statement that Boeing had instructed the airline to not fly within 50 miles of specific types of weather. Such a restriction is likely to increase the amount of fuel consumed by the flight, undermining the jet's touted fuel-efficiency.

Japan Airlines said its 787s would continue on other routes where they are less likely to encounter the type of high-altitude storms that can cause tiny ice crystals to build up inside the engines.

The airline's announcement also suggested it is likely to seek financial penalties from Boeing and GE.

The Boeing spokesman said it doesn't publicly discuss its conversations with customers. He said Boeing is "disappointed in any impact" to its customers and "we regret the business disruption this will cause…and remain ready to provide whatever assistance we can to Japan Airlines."

Other GEnx operators include Deutsche Lufthansa AG , United Continental Holdings Inc., TUI Travel PLC and Qatar Airways.

Deutsche Lufthansa operates nine 747-8 aircraft with such engines, while Japan Airlines has 11 Dreamliners and United Continental has seven aircraft powered by GEnx engines.

Previously, experts believed such icing occurred primarily below 25,000 feet. From the mid-1990s to the end of 2011, the FAA and various engine manufacturers investigated ice-crystal buildups affecting more than 100 big jets around the world, including at least 14 instances of dual-engine shutdowns, called "flameouts." Starting in 2007, the industry successfully rolled out various modifications to counter those hazards.

The latest engine problems caught GE, Boeing and the FAA by surprise, partly because they cropped up on a different engine model at significantly higher altitudes than anticipated, according to industry officials. Moreover, the recent incidents often occurred in clear air without clouds or signs of nearby storms.

In the past decade, safety experts identified significant increases in global engine-icing incidents, particularly as air traffic grew over certain tropical regions. Since 2007, the industry has rolled out numerous engine-software modifications, redesigned parts and revised operating procedures intended to reduce the hazards of various types of ice buildup inside engines. U.S. and foreign regulators also have moved toward tightening certification safeguards for newly designed engines aimed at preventing internal ice formation. 

Source:  http://online.wsj.com