flight safety risks from lithium ion batteries
Q: A few years ago, the battery problem on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner appeared in the news, but there is very little information about the changes that have been made and why Boeing now thinks the problem has been solved.
What do you think about the safety of lithium batteries and Boeing Dreamliner? --
Submitted by reader Rob C. , Mich.
A: Boeing, in cooperation with NTSB and UL, a safety certification company, has conducted extensive testing of Dreamliner batteries.
In order to improve the reliability and safety of the battery, many changes have been made in the manufacturing process.
Boeing wisely decided to increase the fault tolerance of 787 thermal runaway batteries in addition to improving battery manufacturing.
If it does happen that the battery heat is out of control, it is contained in the battery box and the steam is discharged outside the ship.
Lithium batteries provide a lot of power for their weight;
So they are the batteries used in most electronic devices.
For the same reason, 787 use lithium batteries.
However, the lithium battery will automatically overheat and cause heat to get out of control.
This is not common, but it does happen.
This requires security measures to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
Boeing\'s 787 improvement seems to have been a success, although there was a battery campaign in November 2017.
Lithium batteries are at risk.
In order to maintain the necessary level of safety, we must monitor them very carefully.
It\'s a good idea to put them outside the cargo hold.
As for the safety of 787, I have no doubt that it is a safe plane.
I went on a plane without thinking.
Q: Captain Cox, I know that lithium batteries are only allowedon luggage.
What if someone accidentally left one in checked baggage?
Did you scan the inspection bags of these lithium batteries before loading? --Dan K. , Va.
A: The bag is scanned for safety, not for lithium batteries.
If you put the lithium battery in your bag, it will travel with you.
The battery is safer in the cabin so that cabin staff can handle it if heat gets out of control.
That\'s why some airlines have recently done so-
Checked baggage is called \"smart bags\" because they contain lithium-ion batteries.
Q: How dangerous is the old wire?
How dangerous is a lithium ion battery?
It scared me and stopped me from flying. --
BelgiumA Nessie: aging cabling is a problem the industry has faced over the years.
The maintenance and inspection of the line has improved over the past decade.
I wouldn\'t say that the wires on the old plane are dangerous, but it does need to be checked and maintained carefully.
Lithium batteries are an increasingly serious problem.
These powerful batteries spread across so many devices, which guarantees a Heat runaway on the plane, just like a smartphone last year.
Flight personnel were trained, but such training should be improved.
The key factor is how to capture the equipment without endangering the crew and how to control the equipment.
Flight crew need better guidance and tools.
I respect your fear, but remember that flying is the safest means of transport.
I encourage you to fly when you want to travel;
More and more safe.
John Cox, a retired captain of American Airlines, runs his own airline safety consulting firm, the security operating system.