Airbus drops lithium-ion batteries for new A350
Source: Agencies |
February 16, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AIRBUS has dropped lithium-ion batteries of the type that forced the grounding of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and will use traditional nickel-cadmium batteries in its crucially important next passenger jet, the A350.
The European planemaker said yesterday it had taken the decision to adopt the batteries used on existing models such as the A380 superjumbo to prevent delays in the A350's entry to service next year.
Reuters had reported that Airbus was considering such a move to limit the risks surrounding the development of its US$15 billion airliner.
"We want to mature the lithium-ion technology but we are making this decision today to protect the A350's entry-into-service schedule," an Airbus spokeswoman said.
Industry executives, insurance companies and safety officials had said the technology's predictability was being questioned at senior levels as investigators struggle to find the cause of incidents that led to the grounding of the Dreamliner.
These included a fire on board a parked 787 in Boston and an in-flight problem on another plane in Japan.
The A350 is due to enter service in the second half of 2014 compared with an initial target of 2012 when it was launched.
The industry's fear is that the failure to identify the "root cause" of the burning battery incidents leaves too much uncertainty over whether regulators will certify planes as safe when relying on the powerful but temperamental power packs.
Airbus, which has said the A350 timetable is "challenging," can ill afford such doubts over its largest ever civil plane project and so has opted to eliminate its exposure to the risk that regulators might change the rules.
The European planemaker said yesterday it had taken the decision to adopt the batteries used on existing models such as the A380 superjumbo to prevent delays in the A350's entry to service next year.
Reuters had reported that Airbus was considering such a move to limit the risks surrounding the development of its US$15 billion airliner.
"We want to mature the lithium-ion technology but we are making this decision today to protect the A350's entry-into-service schedule," an Airbus spokeswoman said.
Industry executives, insurance companies and safety officials had said the technology's predictability was being questioned at senior levels as investigators struggle to find the cause of incidents that led to the grounding of the Dreamliner.
These included a fire on board a parked 787 in Boston and an in-flight problem on another plane in Japan.
The A350 is due to enter service in the second half of 2014 compared with an initial target of 2012 when it was launched.
The industry's fear is that the failure to identify the "root cause" of the burning battery incidents leaves too much uncertainty over whether regulators will certify planes as safe when relying on the powerful but temperamental power packs.
Airbus, which has said the A350 timetable is "challenging," can ill afford such doubts over its largest ever civil plane project and so has opted to eliminate its exposure to the risk that regulators might change the rules.
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