ANA to conduct up to 200 Boeing 787 test flights

ANA plans to conduct the test flights between Tokyo’s Haneda airport, or nearby Narita airport, and Chitose in northern Japan, the sources said.

such a short flight? go extra mile, few long run flights may provide better safety data also Oil is not so expensive just below $90 !

ANA plans to conduct the test flights between Tokyo’s Haneda airport, or nearby Narita airport, and Chitose in northern Japan, the sources said.

such a short flight? I think the statement you quoted was written awkwardly. They are not saying between HND and NRT. It is between HND/NRT and CTS. Testing will start with these short flights and progress towards longer ones.

@some14some-san, "such a short flight? go extra mile, few long run flights may provide better safety data" and run the risk of the batteries overheating??? No, can't have that!!!

I wonder how Boeing would explain a fire coming from the batteries now. From what I understand there is not a new battery system but a better and safer encasing of the same type of batteries used before, meaning if there is a fire it is supposed to be limited to the battery compartment. That is not very comforting!

Great to hear from all the aviation experts here.

such a short flight?

Testing is done in flight cycles. These batteries are not very much loaded during flight (as the engines will generate enough energy), but on the ground, when they must power the aircraft. Therefore, the shorter the flight length, and the larger the number of cycles (on-ground, takeoff, landing), the better.

I wonder how many of you posting comments have ever flown on the 787. I have. Let me tell you, it was a very comfortable flight and I was sitting in Economy. I hope the testing works out and ANA starts flying them again.

Let me tell you, it was a very comfortable flight and I was sitting in Economy.

How is this even relevant? If it starts burning, even you comfortable economy seat will start feeling very hot.

When I first heard of ANA purchasing the Dreamliner I could not wait to get on one to try it. Fortunately that did not happen before they were grounded. Unfortunately I will definitely be wait a year or two before placing my bottom in the seat of a Dreamliner.

IF it was just the batteries that were the problem, do you think it would have taken them this long to fix just the batteries? I truly hope they actually found the root of the problem but I suspect they (Boeing, FAA and the airlines) really don't have a 100% or even 90% feeling that this will solve the problem. Sadly, we will see more issues again with the electrical system on the 787's.

FYI, 777s which have been flying now for 18 years still have issues with wiring and electrics on board during flight. Proof of this is common with carriers and their frustrated passengers when in flight entertainment system stops working in ceratin parts of the aircraft requiring a reboot or galley equipment stops working because electrical bus circuits trip. The 777 is old school by comparison to the 787 and something tells me that the carbon fibre fuselage is part of the problem with static discharge and electrical circuit isolation being the other.

Shielding of electrical circuits or lack there of due to weight savings may just end up being the culprit so how would you explain it to the masses if this was the case? Batteries, because they were the end result that we see from the overall larger problem gets the blame. Problem is fixed, planes start flying again and everyone is happy making money.

You remember the Swissair MD11 that had that electrical fire over the east coast of the US and went down in flames killing all on board? Kapton wire insulation was long considered a risk to causing fires but because it was lighter than other choices for wire insulators the FAA turned a semi-blind eye to it. It finally took the September 1998 crash of Swissair Flight 111 to make changes and what followed then were passenger airlines getting rid of their MD11 because of the costs to rectify the problem. Not one airline replaced the wiring, most returned their leased MD11s, KLM inspected but did not replace wiring. Cargo airlines not carrying passengers didn't need to meet this requirement and continue flying over your head in great numbers today. FYI, straight Kapton wire insulation is no longer used in new aircraft.

Remember what I said about the 777s and electrical problems, the Swissair MD11 fire was directly linked to the in flight entertainment system and its wiring shorting out. Hmmmm, food for thought.