United Airlines |
The decision, reported by Bloomberg, follows an April 5 test flight evaluating the redesigned battery system
That test — the only time Boeing plans to try out the system in the air — "went off without a hitch," according to Wired.
The final decision to return the
The passenger jet, which promises fuel savings through new composite materials and a powerful lithium-ion battery, has been out of service since the
The "comprehensive and robust" three-part fix calls for stopping battery cells from short-circuiting in the first place, preventing such a failure from spreading throughout the battery, and making sure the plane is not damaged if all that happens anyway, with a sealed battery enclosure.
It does not address the root cause of the failures, which is still unknown, and likely to remain that way.
Asked last month if the Dreamliner is safe, Vice President and Chief Project Engineer Mike Sinnett said, "absolutely, absolutely," noting he would fly in it with his family.
United, which has six Dreamliners, plans to return the jet to its Houston-Denver route on May 31, and to the Denver-Tokyo route on June 10, according to Bloomberg.