All Nippon Airways (ANA), the launch customer for Boeing's 787
"Dreamliner," has had to ground several of its 787s to correct an engine
defect, according to multiple media reports."We've exchanged a total of seven engines in five aircraft, cancelling two domestic flights," a spokeswoman confirms to AFP for a story today.
ANA spokesman Ryosei Nomura tells Jon Ostrower of The Wall Street Journal
that two 787s that had been grounded have returned to service but the
other three "will need another few weeks to fix." Ostrower added in an
afternoon update that "a Boeing spokesman, speaking later Monday, said a
third plane had resumed service."
ANA has been able to avoid more cancellations by substituting other aircraft on routes flown by the grounded Dreamliners. Of ANA's five affected 787s, only one has been dedicated to long-haul service. The other four are configured in a short-haul domestic configuration, according to Ostrower.
ANA is just one of two airlines that has put the Dreamliner into regularly scheduled service. The other – Japan Airlines (JAL) – is unaffected by the problem ANA is having with its 787s.
That's because ANA's glitch is reportedly related to the Rolls-Royce engines used on its Dreamliners. JAL's 787s use engines manufactured by General Electric (EC), JAL spokesman Seiji Takaramoto says to Reuters.
GE's engines have not been hit the same issue that's affecting the Rolls-Royce engines. As for the Rolls-Royce issue, AFP writes "Rolls-Royce discovered the defect -- corrosion inside the gearbox -- during endurance tests."
"The extent of the issue with ANA appears relatively minor at this stage, given that (three) of the aircraft have already returned to service," Reuters quotes RBC Capital Markets analyst Rob Stallard as saying in a research note on the incident.
So-called "teething" problems are common when new types of jets enter the market. Airbus' giant A380 jet also has suffered several problems "teething" issues of its own as its flying has increased around the world.
ANA has been able to avoid more cancellations by substituting other aircraft on routes flown by the grounded Dreamliners. Of ANA's five affected 787s, only one has been dedicated to long-haul service. The other four are configured in a short-haul domestic configuration, according to Ostrower.
ANA is just one of two airlines that has put the Dreamliner into regularly scheduled service. The other – Japan Airlines (JAL) – is unaffected by the problem ANA is having with its 787s.
That's because ANA's glitch is reportedly related to the Rolls-Royce engines used on its Dreamliners. JAL's 787s use engines manufactured by General Electric (EC), JAL spokesman Seiji Takaramoto says to Reuters.
GE's engines have not been hit the same issue that's affecting the Rolls-Royce engines. As for the Rolls-Royce issue, AFP writes "Rolls-Royce discovered the defect -- corrosion inside the gearbox -- during endurance tests."
"The extent of the issue with ANA appears relatively minor at this stage, given that (three) of the aircraft have already returned to service," Reuters quotes RBC Capital Markets analyst Rob Stallard as saying in a research note on the incident.
So-called "teething" problems are common when new types of jets enter the market. Airbus' giant A380 jet also has suffered several problems "teething" issues of its own as its flying has increased around the world.
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