US Dreamliner investigation still looking for answers
The National Transportation Safety Board has ruled "nothing out" in its investigation of the Boeing Dreamliner.
At a press conference on Thursday, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Deborah Hersman called the multiple battery failures that caused the investigation, "unprecedented."
She said, "We do not expect to see fire events on board aircrafts. This is a very serious safety concern."
Herman said that the Board has determined that the battery that failed on a Boston JAL flight had experienced a "thermal runaway" and a "short circuit."
"These events should not happen as far as design of the aircraft. There are multiple systems to protect against a battery event like this. Those systems did not work as intended, we need to understand why," Hersman explained.
While Boeing’s Dreamliners remain parked and grounded, the company issued a statement that said they were continuing to assist the NTSB and government agencies in the US and Japan responsible for investigating the incidents. Boeing says it is working "around the clock" to resolve the issue and return the 787 fleet to flight status.
United Airlines CEO Jeff Smisek offered a vote of confidence on behalf of his airline, the only US carrier currently a customer of the streamlined carbon fiber aircraft.
"I have no doubt that customers will flock back to that airplane once we’re able to get it back up again," he said.
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