This issue is separate from that which was grounded for several months in 2013 the entire fleet of this new generation of aircraft composite materials.
On January 29, the right engine of a Japan Airlines 787 from Vancouver to Tokyo, had suddenly switched off while the plane was flying at 20,000 feet (6,096 meters) above sea level, explains agency of the US aviation (FAA) in an airworthiness directive on its website.
The crew was unable to revive him, but the plane was able to land with one engine a few minutes after the incident.
“ The possibility of a mid-flight failure of both engines to the same problem is a matter of urgent security ,” notes the FAA.
The injunction only applies 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 only over US airlines, concerns 43 aircraft in the United States. But 175 787 aircraft owned by 29 airlines are affected worldwide, according to Boeing.
Forty affected aircraft have already been repaired, told AFP Doug Alder, a spokesman for the aircraft manufacturer, insisting that the problem only occurs in the winter and low altitude .
“ Boeing and GE conducted a joint investigation and cooperate with the FAA on a solution to solve the problem completely ,” said Mr Alder in an email.
The two groups have proposed April 1, according to the spokesman, corrective actions with the airlines concerned. They must perform within 150 days following notification.
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 during its blades the plane’s descent phase, says the FAA.
– Numerous incidents –
She said defrosting distorted the blades which were then rubbed on the inside of the fan casing (kind 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.
When contacted by AFP, GE did not respond immediately. Civil aviation division is its largest activity (21% of sales in 2015).
The 787, which costs at least $ 206 million a copy at list prices, is a new generation of long-haul aircraft composite materials, supposed to be more efficient kerosene. It entered service in late 2011 with more than three years behind the original program.
Its development cost some $ 50 billion to Boeing, according to analysts’ calculations.
He has accumulated technical setbacks. The most serious incidents took place in January 2013 with two severe cases of lithium-ion batteries overheating occurred first on a plane to Boston and another in Japan that forced a device the company All Nippon Airways of make an emergency landing.
50 copies then outstanding were grounded for more than three months.
In 2014 and 2015, delays at Boeing suppliers blew up the cost of production of the 787, which had leaded the benefits of aircraft manufacturer.
In May 2015, the FAA had another blow to long-haul asking airlines operating the 787 to carry out regular maintenance of generators whose power is uninterrupted tension could result in loss of control of the aircraft in flight. The problem was due to a faulty software.
Japanese companies JAL and ANA Holdings are the biggest customers of 787.
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