B787 - NTSB høringer

NTSB sets hearings on safety of airplane batteries

A new NTSB interim report draws no conclusions about what caused a battery fire on one Dreamliner jet.

WASHINGTON - The National Transportation Safety Board plans two hearings in April to explore whether lithium-ion batteries are safe on jetliners, while investigators continue to search for the cause of a battery fire in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The board will have the first forum in mid-April to discuss battery technology with transportation safety experts. The investigative hearing later in the month will focus on the design and certification of the Dreamliner's battery system.

Deborah Hersman, chairman of the NTSB, says the meetings will help the transportation community understand the risks and benefits of the batteries - an issue that's arisen since troubles broke out in January in the batteries aboard two Dreamliners.