Thursday, February 7, 2013

NTSB challenges Boeing estimates of 787 battery safety

The first Boeing 787 permitted to fly since Jan. 16 landed at Everett's Paine Field this morning after a "ferry flight" from Fort Worth, Texas, where it was being painted in advance of a planned delivery to China Southern Airlines. The Federal Aviation Administration authorized the plane to make a single, direct flight from Fort Worth Meacham International Airport to Everett, on condition Boeing took specified safety measures and the plane only carried the necessary crew. Neither test flights nor regular passenger flights have been allowed since two battery malfunctions last month led the FAA to order the planes grounded.