A “white vapour” was detected during routine maintenance recently, with a faulty battery suspected to be the cause.
Only last year, all 787s, of which 115 are currently in operation, were grounded for three months, again because of faulty batteries.
Engineers noticed the vapour, although warning lights also signalled a battery fault. Boeing, which said a single battery cell was probably to blame, insists that the warning system operated as planned.
“A mechanic carrying pre-departure maintenance on a Japan Airlines 787 at Narita Airport noticed white vapor through the flight deck window,” said Jim Proulx, from the international sales communications team at Boeing.
“Smoke was used in a non-scientific manner [by the BBC] to describe the by-product of the battery cell failure.
“This was actually vented gases and our current understanding is there was no combustion — no smoke. The enhanced battery system worked as designed. Only maintenance crew was on board the plane.
“The 787 is designed to be able to continue safe flight in the presence of a cell venting or a total battery failure.”
Asked to comment on the role of detection systems in such situations, Apollo Fire Detectors said: “It goes without saying that fire detection systems are an essential part of any commercial development and have, over the years, saved numerous lives.
“The importance of these systems cannot be over-emphasised, but understanding how fire detection systems work is crucial to selecting the right product. It’s important to remember that a fire alarm system’s overall objective is to save lives and protect property.
“Too obtain the most reliable protection, the type of fire detector must be considered in relation to the environment in which it will be used.
“It should be remembered that although saving lives is a priority, protecting property is also vitally important. Many businesses would find it hard to recover from total loss through fire, so matching heat and smoke detectors to the needs of each application is crucial.”
Apollo Fire Detectors is exhibiting at FIREX International at Excel, London, from June 17 to 19, 2014.
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