787 grounded, but batteries can fly as cargo

By JOAN LOWY

National Feb. 04, 2013 - 05:02AM JST ( 6 )

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Order by Time Order by Popularity

6 Comments

-2

JeffLeeFeb. 04, 2013 - 07:58AM JST

**Pilots and safety advocates say the situation does not make sense. **

Just like the cell phone ban. The phones are only dangerous when passengers use their own phones at the regular call rate. They're suddenly perfectly safe after airlines figure out a way to charge passengers exorbitant fees to use them.
0

AKBfanFeb. 04, 2013 - 10:13AM JST

Ridiculous. This whole thing smacks of a colossal cover up.
0

KnowBetterFeb. 04, 2013 - 11:25PM JST

JeffLee is 100% right on this that you can't trust what Pilots say.
0

KnowBetterFeb. 04, 2013 - 11:26PM JST

Japan is by far the worst and blocking you from using anything 'electronic' until the seatbelt sign has been turned off. How they claim that my DSLR could possibly interfere with the plane during takeoff and landings is pure nonsense.
1

KnowBetterFeb. 04, 2013 - 11:26PM JST

In the US they banned people from using their cellphone, smartphones, iPads, tablets and laptop computers on planes and then changed that to you could use them with their 'radio functions' turned off. Now US and Canadian airlines are selling you internet access at SUPER HIGH PRICES all via Wi-FI on the plane in flight.
-1

basroilFeb. 04, 2013 - 11:53PM JST

Lithium-ion batteries can short circuit and ignite if they are improperly packaged, damaged or have manufacturing defects. Fires involving rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can reach 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (593 degrees Celsius) , close to the melting point of aluminum, a key material in the construction of most airliners.

Actually over 600C, which is close to 1100F, and it can has been known to melt aluminum, which has a melting point of 660C. However (and big however), the batteries are kept in steel boxes that soften, but are nowhere near the melting temperature even in a fire. Between that and the high thermal conductivity, the chances of actually melting anything are near zero. The HF acid made from the electrolyte reacting to water on the other hand can cause problems, especially to people near an unventilated fire. http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/pdf/research/rflithiumionbatterieshazard.pdf has very good information on the causes and characteristics of lithium ion battery related fires.