Warbird Information Exchange

Not really vintage aviation but I thought many would find this interesting. www.chicagotribune.com/business/breakin ... 6723.story

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

It'll be interesting to see exactly what caused this incident and just how big a deal it really was. I'm sure AOG is already on the way for an assessment of the cause. The fix could be as simple as installing some 'finger puzzle' shielding or rerouting the wire bundle involved away from whatever it's chaffing against.
The press is especially flagrant in blowing up anything involving aircraft into the equivalent of the TITANIC sinking in Nebraska because they don't understand and they've all been taught 'if it bleeds, it leads' in TV announcer school (little to no journalism instruction involved).
Like to know it's l/n.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

It wouldn't be the first Boeing to spontaneously combust on the ground .

JA829J l/n 84

Sounds like someone is blowing smoke...

This is all over a battery failure? Wouldn't the aircraft be plugged into ground power at this point?

Could be an actual electrical malfunction or it could just be a battery failure. I'm sure they'll know shortly.

And what does the fact that the aircraft structure is composite have to do with this event?

The source turns out to be a Lithium/Ion battery that overheated, caught fire and then exploded (same type of power source used in your cell phone and tablet) they are touchy and can overheat/catch fire fairly easily.

OH, yeah, forgot to mention, the entire airframe is CFRP which is impervious to fire.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

I continue to find it funny how this gets reported as a "major event" yet when I look at the FAA's website, there's usually 2 or 3 things like this (with smoke in the cockpit or cabin due to whatever) a week on all sorts of planes, from airliners to GA aircraft, and 90% of the time, it was something minor that was quickly taken care of. Then again, the majority of the US media has yet to report the fact that the KC-45A has now lost 2 refuelling booms during testing (something that has yet to happen with a Boeing or McDonnell Douglas boom).

another problem today www.chicagotribune.com/business/breakin ... 0985.story

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

The battery in question is the APU battery so it and the charger would be on the Ground Service bus as well as the Hot Battery bus and, unless the 'breaker' was disengaged, the charger remains on and HOT since the APU provides electrical power to start the engines and run the cabin climate control. All are run electrically since only a very teeny amount of actual air is used to deice the engine inlet lips and no other engine air is used anywhere on the aircraft. APU, engine start, climate control, and wheel braking are all electric. Hydraulic system pressure to retract/extend the gear is 5000#
Only around 50 +/- 'circuit breakers' are actual KLIXON type mechanical breakers and are RCCB's of 1/2a, the rest of the over 1000 are 'virtual breakers' selected on one of the touch screens on the P-4 panels. No 'big' electrical power gets above the cabin floor (DC-10/MD-11 style).Sounds like more thermal monitoring and better over temp control. Hull insurers accept that at least two airframes of a new commercial type will be involved in a serious accident in the first 18 or so months after introduction into service.
The fuel manifold couplers are also a brand new type and style and almost require three hands to assemble correctly.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

787 isn't the only plane with lithium-ion battery and charger issues...

Or at least it shouldn't support combustion. Not many things in this world are impervious to fire!

Part of getting the FAA to buy into allowing the airplane to be built and approved involved a 'representative' example of a fuselage to be exposed to burning JET 'A', after several minutes the fire was extinguished and the feds saw that aside from being covered in soot from the burning fuel and being a bit warm to the touch, there had been no breaching of the structure. Damaged or scrap CFRP can be reduced/recycled by first grinding it up then putting it in an autoclave for a few days @ way over 3000f to reduce it to pure carbon by burning off the resins.Or you can grind it up, mix it with asphalt and redo your driveway.

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-

The battery issue does not seem to be related to other 787 electrical issues: http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=2554

Anyone remember the Lithium-Ion laptop battery recall of a few years back?

Which is why your phone gets hot and your thighs start crisping if you use your laptop too long-

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Don't make me go get my flying monkeys-