Another 787 fire closes Heathrow temporarily

[mannej]

Sounds like an insurance job?

Unless you are Qantas!

 

[Berlin]

My faves are Binliner, Screamliner and Firebird.

Binliner- that just made my day!

 

[jb747]

I think you're all talking up hull losses. Whilst I'm sure it won't be an easy fix, it shouldn't be all that dramatic either.

 

[anat0l]

I think you're all talking up hull losses. Whilst I'm sure it won't be an easy fix, it shouldn't be all that dramatic either.

It shouldn't, but let's not forget the power of the mass media, too (or rather, the faux power it has).

Fact of the matter is, a 787 has just been damaged severely and its timing is way too close to when it had just come back into service. Frankly, it wouldn't have mattered if the plane was shot up by terrorists, it's still a mark against the aircraft type.

As you can see from this thread and comments around the web, the naysayers are clearly absorbing this all up even if it's possible that the cause of the incident had nothing to do with the design or construction of the 787.

(Of course at this point, there's not enough to rule out that it is a problem with the 787, but everyone is quick to condemn the aircraft and has discounted the possibility of human error on the part of Ethiopian airlines or maintenance staff).

 

[Flying Fox]

Could be a hull loss looking at the damage, will be a big repair regardless.

I think you're all talking up hull losses. Whilst I'm sure it won't be an easy fix, it shouldn't be all that dramatic either.

I don't think that it will be a hull loss but it will be very interesting to hear about how Boeing are going to fix their first fire damaged carbon fibre barrel section.

 

[Austman]

I don't think that it will be a hull loss but it will be very interesting to hear about how Boeing are going to fix their first fire damaged carbon fibre barrel section.

AERO - Boeing 787 from the Ground Up

In addition to using a robust structural design in damage-prone areas, such as passenger and cargo doors, the 787 has been designed from the start with the capability to be repaired in exactly the same manner that airlines would repair an airplane today — with bolted repairs. The ability to perform bolted repairs in composite structure is service-proven on the 777 and offers comparable repair times and skills as employed on metallic airplanes. (By design, bolted repairs in composite structure can be permanent and damage tolerant, just as they can be on a metal structure.)

 

[oz_mark]

Sounds like an insurance job?

Not an insurance job, but if things like that were going to be writing aircraft off, I think there'd be a problem!

 

[Mal]

Is there a way to rebirth a plane? Hmm.

 

[oz_mark]

Is there a way to rebirth a plane? Hmm.

People like talking hull losses. Remember the hard landing at Nifty last year, where folk started talking hull loss (http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ion-plane-grounded-hard-44383.html#post703083).

Guess what - that aircraft is back in service.

 

[whatmeworry]

Unless you are Qantas!

From a financial standpoint is this strategy QF should undertake?

 

[straitman]

See the link for the rest of the story.


Investigators Rule Out Battery In 787 Fire


By Anthony Osborne [email protected]
Source: AWIN First

July 14, 2013
Credit: Boeing

Air accident investigators say they have ruled out the involvement of lithium-ion batteries in a fire onboard an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 at London Heathrow Airport on July 12.

Heathrow closed both its runways as firefighters tackled the blaze in the rear fuselage of the aircraft as it was parked on a remote stand at the western end of the airport. Television pictures showed burn marks on the fuselage just forward of the tail fin.

In a statement on July 13, the U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) reported that it had begun an investigation and this would likely take several days.

 

[whatmeworry]

Other airlines are insisting they will stick with the dreamliner.

Boeing Dreamliner Fire, Airlines

 

[oz_mark]

Apaprently looking at an emergency transmitter

British safety investigators are examining whether a malfunction in an emergency locator transmitter or other equipment in the rear of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner caused the plane to catch fire on Friday at Heathrow Airport in London, federal and industry officials said Monday.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/business/inquiry-into-787-fire-said-to-focus-on-transmitter.html

 

[markis10]

Apaprently looking at an emergency transmitter



http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/business/inquiry-into-787-fire-said-to-focus-on-transmitter.html

News overnight suggests this is the likely cause, yet another Lithium problem!

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/publications/special_bulletins/s5_2013___boeing_787__et_aop.cfm

 

[jb747]

News overnight suggests this is the likely cause, yet another Lithium problem!

Whilst this has happened on a 787, I don't see that the rest of the industry can relax at all, as these ELTs are endemic across the newer aircraft in the world aviation fleet. I'm not reading anything that would indicate that such a fire would only be restricted to unoccupied and grounded aircraft.

 

[markis10]

Whilst this has happened on a 787, I don't see that the rest of the industry can relax at all, as these ELTs are endemic across the newer aircraft in the world aviation fleet. I'm not reading anything that would indicate that such a fire would only be restricted to unoccupied and grounded aircraft.

Agree totally, unfortunate coincidence that it happened on the 787, and its not the first time issues with ELTs have arisen, with previous grounding problems resulting in a Canadian AD.

 

[cosi]

Another report appearing in this morning Western Australian

Exclusive - Probe of Boeing's 787 focuses on condensation, emergency beacon - The West Australian

 

[Blackbird]

From Aviation Week

Boeing Switches To Repair Mode After 787 Fire

Insiders also quietly note that the composite structure held up well to the fire. Compared to conventional aircraft-thickness aluminum, for which FAA tests have shown burn-through times of 30-60 sec. in intense fires, Boeing flame tests exhibited longer burn-through times for sections representative of the 787's composite laminate skin. The aircraft maker also points out that although the fire was severe enough to visibly char the exterior of the skin, the fire did not penetrate the surface.

Estimated 1000-1200F temperatures in the fire.

 

[samh004]

Sounds good if the new composite structure actually held up better. Perhaps the charring was simply the paint under the extreme temperatures. Can turn the incident into a positive.

 

[VHOEJ]

Agree totally, unfortunate coincidence that it happened on the 787, and its not the first time issues with ELTs have arisen, with previous grounding problems resulting in a Canadian AD.

Exactly - it could have happened on any aircraft. If it happened on anything other than a 787 or 380, it would barely make the news.