https://www.scmp.com/rss/291082/feed The Boeing 787, nicknamed the “Dreamliner”, made heavy use of new high-tech materials to make the aircraft more comfortable, and fuel efficient, although technical challenges delayed its launch more than three years. After it entered service, 787s were hit by problems, including a battery fire and fuel leaks. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Qantas, the Australian carrier, launched one of the world’s longest direct flights last weekend which has made it possible to travel between Perth and London in 17 hours. The historic first direct flight between the continents of Australasia and Europe saw flight QF9 called “Emily” – painted in a striking livery based on the artwork Y am Dreaming by Indigenous artist Emily Kame Kngwarreye – take off from Perth, Western Australia, with 200 passengers and 16 crew at 7pm on March 24. Qantas sets... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2138939/8-fast-facts-about-qantas-first-direct-flight-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/2138939/8-fast-facts-about-qantas-first-direct-flight-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Mar 2018 08:33:13 +0000 Japan Airlines has grounded another Dreamliner jet after "white smoke" was seen outside the cockpit window during maintenance, a year after a months-long global grounding over battery problems. JAL said a technician at Tokyo's Narita airport, who was working on the plane before its departure to Bangkok on Tuesday afternoon, noticed what appeared to be smoke outside the cockpit window and then a battery system warning. An investigation found one of the eight lithium-ion cells in the plane's... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1406360/another-dreamliner-jet-grounded?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1406360/another-dreamliner-jet-grounded?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Jan 2014 20:00:30 +0000 Airlines are keeping Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner flying, and are sticking with their orders for the new jet as safety investigators look for what sparked a fire in one of the planes while it was parked at London’s Heathrow Airport. The fire caused extensive heat damage to the rear fuselage, sent smoke throughout the cabin and scorched the outer hull, according to Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which is leading the probe. The AAIB said there appeared to be no connection between the... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1285332/airlines-keep-787-flying-probe-seeks-cause-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1285332/airlines-keep-787-flying-probe-seeks-cause-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2013 05:34:12 +0000 United Airlines said a Boeing 787 on its way to Tokyo from Denver was diverted to Seattle after an indication of a problem with an oil filter in an engine, but the plane landed without incident. The unscheduled diversion is the latest hiccup for Boeing’s newest plane, which has been beset by problems and only recently returned to the skies after regulators grounded it worldwide due to trouble with its batteries. “United flight 139 from Denver to Tokyo-Narita diverted to Seattle due to an... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1264113/united-dreamliner-diverted-due-possible-oil-filter-problem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1264113/united-dreamliner-diverted-due-possible-oil-filter-problem?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:23:05 +0000 Boeing is poised to launch a larger member of its 787 Dreamliner jetliner family to meet demand for long-haul travel within Asia and other long-haul routes, sources told Reuters. Long-discussed plans for a 323-seat version of the 787 are likely to be formally announced at next week’s Paris Airshow, the sources said. “We have no comment on the report but we are engaged in discussions with customers on a potential new member of the 787 family,” a Boeing spokesman said. The arrival of a new 787... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1260684/boeing-set-confirm-plans-larger-787-dreamliner-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1260684/boeing-set-confirm-plans-larger-787-dreamliner-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jun 2013 06:00:41 +0000 Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) said it put its Dreamliner fleet back into service on Sunday following a suspension of about four months due to battery problems. ANA, the single biggest operator of Boeing’s flagship 787, said one of the high-tech planes departed “safely” on Sunday afternoon from Sapporo in Hokkaido to Haneda in Tokyo. It was ANA’s first commercial flight of Dreamliners since the planes were grounded worldwide after two separate incidents on Japanese-owned planes involving... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1246631/japans-ana-resumes-dreamliner-flights-after-battery-problems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1246631/japans-ana-resumes-dreamliner-flights-after-battery-problems?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2013 09:41:10 +0000 Follow @SCMP_News China Southern Airlines will be the first mainland carrier to operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner after the mainland aviation regulator gave the aircraft approval. The Guangzhou-based carrier will take delivery of up to eight B787-8s this year, with the first expected by early next month. The much-delayed delivery was due to incidents stemming from the over-heating of the aircraft's lithium battery. All 50 787s delivered worldwide were pulled out from operations and the... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1244887/china-clears-boeing-787s-nations-airlines-boeing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1244887/china-clears-boeing-787s-nations-airlines-boeing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2013 03:06:22 +0000 Japan’s All Nippon Airways on Friday said a modified Dreamliner had experienced a fault earlier this month, but insisted it would not affect the restart of the high-tech planes. A company spokeswoman said discolouring on an electrical panel had been caused by vibrations from an insufficiently tightened nut during the flight on May 4, but added the incident was not connected to previous battery issues. “The problem occurred in one particular airplane alone, and we have already fixed the trouble,”... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1239697/ana-reports-fault-modified-dreamliner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1239697/ana-reports-fault-modified-dreamliner?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2013 04:49:08 +0000 The US Federal Aviation Administration issued formal approval of Boeing’s 787 battery fix that will clear the way for the troubled aircraft to fly again after a three-month grounding. The move was quickly followed by regulators in Japan who said they would also allow the resumption of flights by the grounded aircraft following the FAA order, which they said would come into effect Friday. Japan Airlines (JAL) and domestic rival All Nippon Airways (ANA) account for half the Dreamliners in service,... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1223668/faa-says-787-can-fly-after-battery-systems-modified?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1223668/faa-says-787-can-fly-after-battery-systems-modified?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2013 05:21:35 +0000 In January, Boeing's new, 787 Dreamliners were grounded due to overheating problems with their lithium-ion batteries, leading to potential fire risks. These were well-publicised yet rare incidents involving lithium-ion batteries - which abound in our modern lives, powering devices such as mobile phones and laptops. Though relatively new and packing some advanced features, lithium-ion batteries operate according to the basic principles of all batteries, with chemical reactions producing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1203375/batteries-will-power-despite-dreamliner-glitch-lithium-ion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/technology/article/1203375/batteries-will-power-despite-dreamliner-glitch-lithium-ion?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Shrinking glaciers 'a threat' to S America LIMA, Peru - Climate change has shrunk Andean glaciers between 30 and 50 per cent since the 1970s and could melt many of them away altogether in coming years, according to a study published in the journal The Cryosphere. Andean glaciers, a vital source of fresh water for tens of millions of South Americans, are retreating at their fastest rates in more than 300 years, according to the most comprehensive review of Andean ice loss so far. The researchers... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1135398/briefs-january-25-2013?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/1135398/briefs-january-25-2013?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Boeing’s woes with its new 787, grounded worldwide after a series of incidents, shine the spotlight on its bold but risky strategy to source parts for the innovative aircraft from scores of plants and contractors around the world. Breaking with its former largely in-house production practice, the US aerospace giant decided to outsource a lot of what went into its 787 Dreamliner, with its pioneering electrical systems and heavy use of carbon-fibre composite materials. Parts came into Boeing’s... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1130840/787-grounding-puts-boeings-outsourcing-focus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/1130840/787-grounding-puts-boeings-outsourcing-focus?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Jan 2013 03:27:52 +0000 China Southern Airlines has no immediate plan to cancel orders of the incident-prone Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners but that will change if systemic problems are found. The assessment came after Japan's two leading airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, grounded all B787s yesterday due to glitches, mainly in the plane's electrical system. "If the FAA [US Federal Aviation Administration] finds that there are failures in the design of the B787, we will ditch the order without doubt," a China... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1129649/china-southern-still-board-boeings-dreamliner?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/1129649/china-southern-still-board-boeings-dreamliner?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000