PC Tech World: Boeing

Showing posts with label Boeing. Show all posts

Saturday, April 20, 2013

FAA approves Boeing 787 battery fix, gives the green light for repairs

It's been a few weeks since the Boeing 787 successfully completed testing, but the FAA has finally weighed in on the proposed tweaks to the plane's faulty lithium-ion batteries. Today the organization approved Boeing's battery fix, which means the aircraft maker could soon end the three-month grounding of all Dreamliners. The real action will come next week, when the FAA will issue instructions for making changes to the 787s and -- according to an official statement -- "publish in the Federal Register the final directive that will allow the 787 to return to service." Airlines operating the Dreamliner, including United and ANA, will be required to install containment and venting systems in addition to replacing the batteries with the new, modified components. This is certainly some good news for Boeing; these past few months haven't exactly been easy on the company's pocketbook (or reputation), but it still has plenty of work ahead in retrofitting its 50-strong fleet.

Via: Reuters

Source: FAA

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Boeing 787 Dreamliner completes flight check, certification still awaits (update)

It wouldn't surprise us to learn that more than a few Boeing officials had their fingers crossed this morning in Everett, Washington. That's because the 787 Dreamliner took to the skies ~~for the first time since being grounded~~ in an effort to demonstrate a proper fix to that nasty overheating issue that's plagued the airliner's battery. The test flight, known as a functional flight check, lasted approximately two hours and will give the folks at Boeing an opportunity to examine data from the outing in advance of the 787's single certification flight -- a process that's otherwise known as one and done.

Update: This article originally stated that this is the first time the 787 Dreamliner has flown since being grounded, which is incorrect. Today's test flight is the first time the 787 Dreamliner has flown since the FAA-approved battery fix has been in place.

Source: Reuters, USA Today

Thursday, February 7, 2013

WSJ: Boeing readying battery tweaks for 787 Dreamliners

The Wall Street Journal has gotten word that Boeing is preparing tweaks to its 787's lithium-ion batteries that could minimize the risk of fire and let its Dreamliners take to the skies before a long-term solution is sussed out. Citing industry and government officials, the WSJ says the modifications will see a larger separation between battery cells in an effort to lessen the risk of heat and fire spreading. Other measures may include keeping cells more firmly in place to prevent them from moving about and interfering with electronics, incorporating heat sensors and a beefed-up battery cover that could contain flames and chemicals. Changes to the aircraft aren't nailed down across the board just yet, and they still need approval by Japanese and American regulators before they can be applied. According to one of the WSJ's sources, a best-case scenario could see Dreamliners put back on passenger flight duty in March.

[Image credit: Martin Deutsch, Flickr]

Source: Wall Street Journal

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Boeing employs sacks of spuds to test new in-flight Wi-Fi tech

Ready for the new Samuel L. Jackson movie?

Plane manufacturer Boeing has turned to unorthodox means to test its new in-flight Wi-Fi systems; replacing humans with potatoes.

The Chicago, Illinois-based behemoth wanted to test the required signal strength and configurations necessary to make reliable Wi-Fi available to around 300 passengers on-board its jets.

Instead of hiring good, old fashioned humans as subjects, the company snapped up 20,000lbs of the carb-filled, chip-makers and dumped them in seats like... well, like a sack of spuds.

According to Boeing, the potatoes reflect and absorb radiowave signals in the same ways as more expensive humans and were the ideal subjects for its latest rounds of tests.

Using humans would have required them to sit motionless in test planes for days on end while the data was gathered, which wouldn't be so bad if there was some decent in-flight movies.

The company said the testing process, made much shorter thanks to the potatoes, will enable it to provide consistent Wi-Fi speeds and signals, while travelling at 35,000ft and 500mph.

Boeing's new methods will offer more reliable connectivity while ensuring that the Wi-Fi signal and device usage does not interfere with the critical systems on the aircraft.

The name for the project? Synthetic Personnel Using Dielectric Substitution. We see what you did there Boeing. Well played.

Via AllThingsD