Fresh problems for the 787 Dreamliner

Wednesday, 9 January 2013 01:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

US officials are investigating a fire aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Boston after a Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo, Bloomberg News has reported.

Flames about two feet high shot out of an avionics bay in the jet’s belly and there was a small explosion on 7 January as the plane sat at a gate in the Boston airport before its next departure. Japan Airlines, which has seven 787s, won’t reportedly ground other Dreamliners.

The plane was delivered to Japan Airlines in December and the carrier still has 38 787s on order.

In light of the fire, Boeing said it wasn’t making any changes to its test-flight plans for other 787s. The manufacturer has dismissed other problems as “normal introductory squawks” that arise in the course of a new jet program.

Since entering service in 2011, Boeing’s newest model has faced several incidents. Electrical faults with a generator in December forced United and Qatar to ground their 787s. The test fleet was also grounded in 2010 for six weeks following an in-flight fire. Further, an engine component on a jet intended for Air India caused a brushfire in July 2012 before takeoff.