Boeing finishes final battery test

   Boeing has completed the final certification test for its new 787 battery system, successfully finishing a demonstration flight on a production plane.
   Battery testing was required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
   The demonstration flight, according to Boeing, proved that the battery system performs as expected during both normal and abnormal stress. The data from the flight will now be analyzed and will be delivered to the FAA.
   In March, the FAA approved Boeing’s new plan for a 787 battery. The manufacturer had redesigned internal battery components to lessen the chance of a short circuit, the culprit determined to have caused the lithium battery fire aboard a Japan Airlines 787 flight in Boston. The Boeing team also added a new venting system and better cell insulation to the design.
   The National Transportation Safety Board will convene a two-day hearing into Boeing’s battery issues on April 23.