mike1968

Given the high amount of battery/electric power to run all the systems, is that what was causing people to be unable to use their phones? Seems like there were a lot of people commenting on that on the initial trip thread. Was that an indicator that maybe too much power was flowing around (I.e. idea something is blowing out the batteries). Or did the phone issue get resolved?

The other question growing up with the high voltage lines cause cancer scares; is that another thing to be concerned about if the plane is running everything off electricity flowing through the plane? Or would the answer be something like its no worse than what hits you on a trans polar flight? I'm genuinely curious as I just didn't realize how the plane actually worked ( thought the leap was just about the composite materials)

grahampros

fairly irreverent to the post to the issues at hand.

ECOTONE

Just flew LAS-IAH on a 737-7 and they played the SMI/J "787" pre-departure video. Beforehand, the purser came on and said, "as most of you know our 787 fleet has been grounded while improvements are being made. do yourself a favor and fly one as soon as you can. it's an amazing aircraft."

buckeyefanflyer

Well it's about time we got a statement from UAL about the 787, but from a purser and not the CEO? The FAA does not ground an aircraft for improvements, it's a serious safety issue. It is an amazing aircraft having been on it and I hope the issues are solved becuase I was already trying to book a flight. I have never been to NRT and was looking at the DEN flight this summer.

DCEsquire

Looks like this could be awhile folks....

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/19/bu...in-air.html?hp

jbcarioca

Mr. LaHood has made himself exceedingly clear. The problem(s) related to the batteries must be identified and solved prior to returning to flight. It's quite difficult to imagine that such a process can be completed in 'days'. It seems much more likely to be 'weeks' or even 'months'.

Ten years from now everyone will have mostly forgotten about this although Boeing and maybe even customers will still be coping with the long range financial consequences.

IMHO, it's better this way than it was when Comets, DC-10's, 737's, L1011's and others fell from the sky before anybody did something about problems. The quick and definitive actions may have been late, but nobody died. The obscure certification rules for pitot tubes allowed people to die before addressing the issue. I am happy that does no longer happen, at least it seems not. It's good that the A350 electrical system is being examined too, before first flight.

Mankind is capable of learning, or so it seems.

cblaisd

A very nice way of putting it. ^

UA-NYC

If there's no corporate level statement (like there should have been by now) that becomes a company-wide talking point, then you have individual employees starting to spin their own personalized stories...oops.

grahampros

Yep this is not a few day thing but that was clear as soon as it was grounded. The fact it was grounded tells you there are serious issues given how rarely that happens. That's why all the posts about a given flight etc were amusing. What a mess Boeing has on it's hands but not that unexpected.

eflyte

I realize this is total guesswork, but...

I have the opportunity to book my first 787 segment on the LAX-IAH route in late March, complete w confirmed RPU. I'm not terribly concerned about safety issues - based on how things are being handled I'm sure the birds won't go back into the rotation until they are safe. But the itinerary will require an out-of-the-way routing, so I don't want to commit to it unless i get the 787 experience. Surely this will be sorted out by then...can anyone imagine Boing/UAL/the FAA not having the issues resolved within 2 months? Seems like the financial losses at stake would preclude that.

grahampros

Dont count on it at this point. It's just not advisable to be booking travel on the presumption of being on the 787 for now. dont book it if that's the only reason you're booking a given route for the hope of a 787. Even prior to the grounding it was hit or miss if the equipment operated as scheduled. Many reports of subs.

sincx

YES, I was just about to post that. UA869 departing 1/17 right? I was on the very same flight, very uncomfortable E+ aisle next to a fairly large, old and cranky couple who kept getting in and out.

FWAAA

The DC-10 grounding was the last time an entire fleet type was grounded by the FAA.

No, the FAA did not ground all DC-9/MD-80s after the Alaska crash. The FAA ordered mandatory inspections but gave airlines several days within which to complete the inspections.

This is the first FAA-ordered fleet grounding since 1979.

sidestep

I have flown 5 segments on the 787 (four of them back-to-back-to-back-to-back) I dont know the answer to your question;however, if you plugged in your phone using the USB cable to try and charge it, the phone would become non responsive, basically had a mind of its own and would register touches for parts of the screen not touched.

If you used the electrical outlet to charge using the adapter, the phone would work normally, i suppose the current was then regulated by the adapter.

It would make sense that then the overoutput of current could be a result of the battery/electrical issue

craz

^ Yes with all my Bashing of The new UA over the 787 , I can now actually give them a ^.

My 1/29 NRT-LAX is now Offically the 777. Till now they have been CXing it day by day, since I was in Row 17 and theres no Row 17 on the 777 I was worried Id get stuck in a bad seat. Well as I thought 19D/F is already taken most likely the same folks who had 19 D/F on the 787. But at least I was able to switch to an aisle middle section, so I wont have to worry about 2 people wanting to get out & in

Its nice that The new UA is finally waking up to what the Reality is and thusly allowing those who were booked on the 787 to chose a seat that works for them.Rather then 1st beable to chose aseat the day before the flight when pickins will be alot less