Dreamliner fire

A fire on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner parked at Heathrow in 2013 was most likely caused by a short-circuit, the Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in its final report on the incident.

The fire, which the AAIB believes started in the jet's emergency locator transmitter (ELT), damaged the aircraft's rear fuselage as it stood empty on a remote stand.

Both runways at Europe's busiest airport were closed briefly as fire-fighters dealt with the blaze on the 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines.

Since the incident the AAIB has already made 14 safety recommendations and Boeing and the US aviation regulator, the FAA, have undertaken safety actions.

In addition, ELT manufacturer Honeywell is redesigning the unit using the AAIB's findings.

The blaze in July 2013 came at a difficult time for the 787.  The jet had only recently restarted flying following a three-month grounding by regulators earlier that year on concerns over its batteries overheating.  Now with 300 in service it is proving to be a real money maker for airlines.  www.gov.uk/government/organisations/air-accidents-investigation-branch

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