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Seventh update on JAL Boeing 787 battery fire investigation


WASHINGTON – The National Transportation Safety Board today released the seventh update on its investigation into the Jan. 7 fire aboard a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 at Logan International Airport in Boston.

The auxiliary power unit battery, manufactured by GS Yuasa, was the original battery delivered with the airplane on December 20, 2012. It is comprised of eight individual cells. All eight cells came from the same manufacturing lot in July 2012. The battery was assembled in September 2012 and installed on the aircraft on October 15, 2012. It was first charged on October 19, 2012.

Examination and testing of an exemplar battery got underway earlier this week at the Carderock Division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center laboratories in West Bethesda, MD. The tests consisted of electrical measurements, mass measurements, and infrared thermal imaging of each cell, with no anomalies noted. The cells are currently undergoing CT scanning to examine their internal condition. In addition, on Thursday, a battery expert from the Department of Energy joined the investigative team to lend his expertise to the ongoing testing and validation work.

In Seattle, NTSB investigators and Boeing engineers examine the type of lithium ion battery used on the Boeing 787 to start the auxillary power unit and to provide backup power for flight critical systems.
NTSB investigators were made aware of reports of prior battery replacements on aircraft in the 787 fleet, early in the investigation. As reported Tuesday, Boeing, a party to the investigation, is providing pertinent fleet information which investigators will review to determine if there is any relevance to the JAL investigation.
An investigative group continued to interpret data from the two digital flight data recorders on the aircraft, and is examining recorded signals to determine if they might yield additional information about the performance of the battery and the operation of the charging system.

Next week, the NTSB battery testing team will initiate a non-invasive “soft short“ test of all cells of the exemplar battery. This test will reveal the presence of any high resistance, small or “soft” shorts within a cell. Also, an NTSB investigator will travel to France with the battery contactor from the JAL event battery, for examination at the manufacturer. The battery contactor connects a wiring bundle from the airplane to the battery.

Investigators are continuing their work in Washington and Japan and the team in Seattle continues to observe the FAA-led review of the certification process for the 787 battery system. The flow of information from these observations helps to inform NTSB investigative activity in the US and around the world.

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    Spain: Boeing Completes Chinook

    Boeing Completes Chinook Industrial Cooperation Program in Spain

    MADRID, April 13, 2010 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it has successfully completed its industrial cooperation program for the third phase of the CH-47D Chinook rotorcraft upgrades performed for the Spanish Army’s Airmobile Force, FAMET. Boeing finished the industrial cooperation program on schedule while exceeding the $80 million requirement, demonstrating the company’s continued success in meeting its commitments.

    Over the 10-year program, Boeing completed 75 projects with 20 Spanish companies and institutions. All projects were coordinated through Isdefe, the company that negotiates and manages industrial cooperation agreements on behalf of the Spanish Ministry of Defense’s Armament and Material General Directorate.

    “In cooperation with Isdefe, Boeing is bringing high-value opportunities to Spanish industry,” said Gwen Kopsie, director of International Industrial Participation for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Spanish companies of all sizes were an integral part of the global supply base that brought state-of-the-art upgrades to the Spanish Army’s Chinook fleet. Many more Spanish companies also benefited from Boeing’s advanced technology transfer and training programs.”

    Boeing also supports Isdefe’s efforts to develop Spanish industry through a $13 million industrial cooperation program for the Harpoon advanced weapon control system. That program is on track for completion in 2012.
    “Boeing has been a partner to Spain for more than 75 years, serving the needs of both its commercial airplane customers and Spain’s military,” said Pedro Argüelles, president of Boeing Spain. “Today, Boeing’s presence in Spain remains strong thanks to our collaboration with airlines, government, academic institutions and industry. Through our Research & Technology Center in Madrid, we work with our partners in Spain to develop solutions for the environmental, safety and reliability, and air-traffic-control needs of today and tomorrow.”

    Boeing has successfully implemented industrial participation programs totaling more than US$41 billion in nearly 40 countries over the past 30 years.

    The Chinook is a true multi-role, vertical-lift platform. The primary Chinook mission is transport of artillery, troops, ammunition, fuel and supplies within military theaters of operation. CH-47s also have performed humanitarian-support, disaster-relief, rescue, firefighting and nation-building missions on six continents in all climates and conditions. The Chinook is currently in service with more than 18 countries worldwide.

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

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    Preliminary Report Issued in Piper Crash

    According to one report, the piper that crashed on Jan 12 near Paris Texas killed Passengers Michael Dale Bradley, 44, and Michael Endo, 51, and pilot Rob Thompson, 49. After takeoff, the plane lost its rudder and crashed in “foggy and drizzly” conditions between 8:54 and 9:00 a.m., a minute after talking to ATC in Fort Worth.

    Witnesses heard the engine backfire several times, and saw black smoke coming from the field where the plane crashed near Glory Texas.

    The horizontal stabilizer/rudder separated from the airframe and the report recorded that it was was found “approximately 30 feet behind the main wreckage.”

    The report was issued on Jan 22.

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    Press Release – FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt Breaks Ground on Recovery Act Funded Oakland Control Tower

    For Immediate Release
    October 15, 2010

    OAKLAND, Calif. – Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Randy Babbitt helped break ground today for a new air traffic control tower at Oakland International Airport funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The Oakland International Airport ARRA grant, totaling $33.2 million, is the FAA’s largest, single Recovery Act award.

    “This Recovery Act project will make a difference for the Oakland area economy,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “People will be put to work building an environmentally friendly tower that will better serve the airport and the community.”

    The Recovery Act grant will pay for construction of the 236-foot-tall tower and a 13,000 square-foot base building, as well as some equipment for the facility.

    “This brand new, modernized tower will give air traffic controllers a better view of the airfield and help improve airport efficiency,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “The Recovery Act is allowing us to make needed investments at airports around the country.”

    Two air traffic control towers currently serve Oakland International Airport. A 158-foot-tall tower on the southern portion of the airfield was built in 1962 as a part of a terminal expansion project. In 1972, construction of a large hangar blocked some views from the south tower, requiring the Port of Oakland to build a second tower to handle traffic on the north runways.

    Replacing both towers with a single one will improve air traffic operations and reduce operating costs. The FAA expects to start using the new tower in 2013.

    The new tower will feature a number of environmental benefits, including a covered parking structure with solar panels on the roof of the base building, which will provide power for the tower and its electrical systems. The tower also will have a geothermal heating system and a rainwater storage system.

    In addition to the Oakland tower funding, the FAA provided a total of $37 million in Recovery Act grants to Bay Area airports.

    Oakland International Airport received a $14.9 million ARRA grant to rebuild a large apron area used by airlines and cargo carriers and to reconfigure a taxiway. By replacing old apron pavement, the project will improve efficiency and allow larger aircraft to use the taxiway.

    San Francisco International Airport received ARRA grants totaling $14.5 million to resurface two runways. The projects leveled out the runways, which tend to settle over time because of ground conditions. The new asphalt concrete resurface also will prevent unexpected runway shutdowns due to pavement breakdown, and will guard against crumbling pavement debris that can damage aircraft.

    In San Jose, a $5.2 million Recovery Act grant is funding the extension of a taxiway at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. This project will improve safety by eliminating the need for private planes to cross a runway while taxiing to an engine run-up area.

    An additional $2.4 million in Recovery Act funds is modernizing and making safety upgrades at area facilities and airports.

    Nationwide, $1.3 billion in Recovery Act money has been made available for both airport improvement projects and air traffic control facility and system upgrades. These Recovery Act grants have been distributed to airports that serve commercial passengers, cargo and general aviation.

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    FAA Certifies Alakai Technologies’ Flight Data Monitoring System on AS350 Helicopters

    Smart system records, analyzes, and automatically reports FDM results for operators

    HOPKINTON, Mass., Feb. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Alakai Technologies (http://www.alakai1.com) announced today that the Federal Aviation Administration issued a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for installation of Alakai’s digital Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) systems and wireless Internet units on Eurocopter AS350 and EC130 helicopters. The AS350 and its derivatives, with over 4,000 helicopters sold, are used by police, forest service, oil exploration, flight-seeing and emergency medical service (EMS) operators worldwide.
    AS350 operators can now achieve comprehensive airline-style FDM (also known as Flight Operational Quality Assurance or FOQA) programs at a fraction of the cost for airline systems. Older, round-dial cockpits become part of a smarter, safer, more-connected aircraft. Operators benefit from Alakai’s on-board and backend algorithms that turn mountains of raw data into objective, actionable recommendations and decisions. The system works with older round-dial as well as the latest glass cockpit aircraft.

    GA-FDM (http://www.ga-fdm.com), a leading provider of Flight Data Monitoring solutions, will immediately begin offering the Alakai system to AS350 operators worldwide. GA-FDM analyzes the volume of data produced from each flight to help operators identify accident pre-cursors, reduce risks, enhance training, and reduce operating costs. Detailed FDM reports highlight aircraft and pilot performance, guided by expert suggestions for preventive and corrective measures. Customers experience significant operational savings, including reduced fuel and maintenance costs, safety improvements, enhanced training, and lower insurance costs.

    “We are excited to begin operational use in the AS350 fleet,” said Scott Meacham, co-founder of GA-FDM. “Alakai’s equipment makes comprehensive FDM programs affordable for single or small operators as well as large fleet customers, and allows operators to use objective data, information and knowledge to manage risk and assure continual safety improvements in their operations. Flight Data Monitoring is a critical component of every predictive and efficient Safety Management System.”

    About Alakai Technologies
    Alakai Technologies is a Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based corporation that develops, manufactures, integrates and certifies products that improve aircraft safety. Additional information can be found at http://www.alakai1.com.

    The Alakai system provides the most affordable, flexible FDM solutions for real-time analysis of engine, flight and aircraft motion parameters. The system includes a Web-enabled Digital Flight Data System with built-in engine and aircraft monitoring, embedded Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and accelerometers, flight analysis, and automatic wireless transfer for uploads over the Internet, and is capable of recording over 180 aircraft parameters depending upon avionics configuration. At the conclusion of each flight, the system sends synopsis emails to users, and automatically uploads flight and analysis results to Alakai’s servers, where experts review flights, analyze reports, and provide safety feedback to operators. The system also helps operators meet or exceed the recommendations called for in the FAA’s recent Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for EMS helicopters.

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    NASA ADMINISTRATOR PARTICIPATES IN MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY CELEBRATIONS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

    WASHINGTON — NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will travel to his hometown of South Carolina to participate in three events on Jan. 18 to celebrate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Media representatives may attend the presentations.

    Bolden, NASA’s first African-American administrator, will deliver the keynote address at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. business and professional breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. EST in the Exhibition Hall, Gaillard Municipal Auditorium, located at 77 Calhoun St. in Charleston. There will be a media availability at approximately 8:50 a.m.

    Following the breakfast, Bolden will visit the Ron McNair School at 3795 Spruill Ave. in North Charleston to discuss the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. Reporters can speak to the administrator following the event at 11:30 a.m. outside the school.

    Bolden will deliver the annual Heyward E. McDonald Lecture on Peace and Justice at 7 p.m. in the University of South Carolina Russell House Ballroom A/B on campus at 1400 Greene St. in Columbia. He will speak about the role of science and public schooling in advancing social justice. The lecture will be followed by a short question-and-answer session for attendees.

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    Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Receive Aviation’s Highest Award


    DENVER, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Few aircraft since the Wright Flyer have truly become an “Aircraft of Legend.” Like the DC-3, the technological advancements of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are expected to profoundly impact commercial aviation. The Living Legends of Aviation have chosen the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to receive the “Aircraft of Legend Award” which will be presented at the 9th Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards to be held January 20th at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Calif. Mr. Scott Fancher, VP and General Manager of the Boeing 787 Program, will be accepting the award on behalf of all who have contributed to the “Boeing Dreamteam.” The
    Living Legends of Aviation Annual Awards is the most important and prestigious recognition event of aviation.

    On December 17, 1903 at 10:31 am with Orville at the controls and Wilbur running along side steading the wing, the world experienced the first controlled powered flight. Exactly 100 years later the Living Legends of Aviation organization was born to celebrate and recognize significant contributions for the second hundred years of aviation.
    The “Living Legends of Aviation” are a group of extraordinary people of accomplishment. They are defined as aviation entrepreneurs, innovators, record breakers, astronauts, industry leaders, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots.

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