Boeing 787: the US require urgent repair of engines – Le Point

US officials have urged this Saturday at the US company Boeing to make repairs “urgent” one of the two engines on the Boeing 787, its new generation of aircraft composite materials. Concerned, his engine model, which is likely to go off in flight. This order follows an incident that occurred in flight on January 29 on a Japan Airlines 787 providing the connection Vancouver-Tokyo says the agency of the US aviation (FAA) in an airworthiness directive on its website. It applies only to motor right 787, newer than the left engine of the aircraft, which, to him, does not exhibit this problem.

The FAA directive, which has authority on US airlines, concerns 43 aircraft in the United States. But 176 Boeing 787 belonging to 29 airlines are affected worldwide. The right engine of 787 of Japan Airlines had suddenly stopped while the plane was flying at 20,000 feet (6096 meters) above sea level. The crew was not able to restart, but the plane was able to land with one engine a few minutes after the incident. “The possibility of a failure in flight of two engines for the same problem is an urgent safety issue,” says the FAA’s safety directive, posted on its website. The investigation into this incident concluded that the failed engine, GEnx-1B PIP 2, manufactured by the industrial conglomerate General Electric (GE), had undergone vibration caused by a defrost its blades during the descent phase of the aircraft, reports the FAA in its injunction.

Already, battery problems

she said defrosting distorted the blades which were then rubbed on the inside of the casing of the fan (sort of reactor vessel). This friction caused vibrations which led to the sudden extinction of the engine. The left engine – a different model – was not affected, hence the fact that the incident was not serious, according to the FAA. The relief sought by the federal government is on the thickness of the fan casing to avoid any friction. This problem is distinct difficulties of the 787 in 2013. The 787, named “Dreamliner” has in effect been a difficult start due to battery problems that led international authorities to freeze in operation for several months in early 2013.