After a series of mishaps and problems—the latest being an electrical fire before takeoff in Japan—Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners have been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration. Only 6 are so far in service in the U.S., but with 800 in the production pipeline, much rides on the luxury airliner’s success. At the NYT, Hiroko Tabuchi and Bettina Wassener:
The review by the U.S. aviation administration is unusual, just 15 months after the plane entered service following a lengthy certification process by the agency. That review is in addition to a formal investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board of what caused a battery fire on a Japan Airlines plane that flew to Boston from Tokyo last week. … Boeing has sought to ease concerns about the plane’s design and reliability, and has said it is no more trouble-prone than other new commercial airplane programs.
Watch out for our special feature, “Dreamliner Marks Milestone Year”, tomorrow at Boeing Boeing.