The source of a number of battery fires is still not known, but Boeing came up with a fix: it encased the battery in a heavy steel box and built in more insulation and an exhaust pipe for fumes. The FAA approved the redesign, and the Dreamliner was back in the air by the end of April.
Al Jazeera shows there were already problems with the batteries in an early stage. A prototype battery was the source of a fire that destroyed a supplier's factory in 2006. Another failure in the test phase, in November 2007, forced Boeing to adapt the design. According to Al Jazeera Boeing has not tested the battery in line with industry guidelines (known as DO311). By May 2014, the NTSB concluded that Boeing had fallen short and issued recommendations to the FAA urging to demand tougher testing of batteries by plane manufacturers like Boeing.
Al Jazeera says that at least 100 787-bateries have failed and have been sent back to the manufacturer, GS Yuasa in Japan, before the grounding of the aircraft. And even after the modifications, there have been issues. ANA All Nippon Airways found a problem with a sensor on a modified battery, on a 787 that had only gone back into service a week earlier. In November, JAL reported problems with a battery on a Helsinki-to-Tokyo flight, and ANA announced it had replaced a battery charger. In January 2014, JAL grounded one of its Dreamliners after white smoke was seen coming from the battery system during a check ahead of take-off.
Al Jazeera does not only report about the batteries, but also about drugs use among Boeing technicians building the aircraft. Boeing personnel says to have worries about the quality inspections. Keeping schedule was more important than quality. Some Boeing people even do not dare to fly in their own product.
The Al Jazeera documentary will be broadcasted tonight, Wednesday 10 September 20.00 GMT; Thursday 11 September 0100 and 12.00 GMT; Friday 12 September 06:00 GMT; Saturday 13 September 20.00 GMT and Sunday 14 September 01:00 GMT.
Boeing responds
Boeing issued the following statement prior to the airing of the television program on Al Jazeera English:
"We have not been afforded the opportunity to view the full program, but the promotional trailer and published media reviews suggest that what has been produced is as biased a production as we have seen in some time. It is unfortunate that the producers of this television program appear to have fallen into the trap of distorting facts, relying on claims rejected by courts of law, breathlessly rehashing as “news” stories that have been covered exhaustively in the past and relying on anonymous sources who appear intent only on harming The Boeing Company.
When first contacted by the producers, we accommodated them in order for them to produce a fair and objective report including facilitating factory access, interviews and providing full and open responses to their questions. The 787 is an outstanding airplane delivering value to our customers, but we have also talked candidly in public about its challenging development process. There are no tougher critics about our early performance than Boeing. Unfortunately, the reporting team appears to have chosen to take advantage of our trust and openness and abused their position from the outset by deliberately misrepresenting the purpose, objective and scope of their planned coverage.
This specious production appears to have ignored the factual information provided by Boeing and instead based the majority of its reporting on unnamed sources pursuing their own agendas and a disgruntled former employee engaged in a legal dispute with Boeing. In one instance, the producers resorted to ambush tactics normally seen only in tabloid-style TV news. The anonymous sources the TV program depends on are clearly working with those who seek to harm Boeing and its workers. They appear to have no real interest in truth, safety or better informing the public.
Even on-the-record sources seem to have changed their stories for the producers. For example, former Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA) President Cynthia Cole said this about the 787’s first flight in 2009: “Today’s flight is a testament to the skill, hard work and diligence Boeing employees put in to get this airplane ready to fly,” SPEEA President Cynthia Cole said in a news release. “Boeing returned to engineering, and that’s what made today possible and successful.” Now, she states in the documentary trailer that Boeing “shortchanged the engineering process.”
Instead of an objective view of the 787’s development, viewers and our employees will see a television program that is neither balanced nor accurate in its portrayal of the airplane, our employees, or our suppliers. This program and those involved with it do a disservice to the hard-working men and women of Boeing and our supplier partners who designed and build the 787.
Furthermore, the program presents a false impression of Boeing South Carolina and the quality of work performed there. Airplanes, whether delivered from South Carolina or Washington, meet the highest safety and quality standards that are verified through robust test, verification and inspection processes. Our data of the current 787 fleet in service show parity in the quality and performance of airplanes manufactured in both locations."
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