India provides new immigration system for Maldives

An Indian company might have been unceremoniously thrown out of the multi-billion dollar Male airport modernisation project, but New Delhi is ensuring passengers get smooth immigration service at the same airport.
At a ceremony held in Male’s Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on Sunday afternoon, High Commissioner Dnyaneshwar Mulay formally handed over a new system to facilitate travellers.
Mr. Mulay had been targeted by some Maldivian right-leaning parties over the award of the airport project to a consortium of Indian and Malaysian companies.
The Maldivian government, drawing some of its resolve from these parties, cancelled the biggest single foreign direct investment to the country amid New Delhi's protestations.
The immigration control system was received by Maldivian officials in the presence of a Minister, senior officials and representatives of an Indian Government department, National Informatics Center (NIC), which set up the facility.
Officials said this move demonstrated the commitment of both governments to continue their cooperation even in sensitive areas such as immigration services despite political run-ins and diplomatic quandaries.
Maldivian officials termed the new system a “giant step” in the capability of Maldivian Immigration.
Called the Airport Passenger Information System (APIS), it will feed advance information on passengers travelling to and from Maldives, to the border control system. This is used by enforcement authorities like Immigration, Customs, Police and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
For Maldives, a safe and efficient immigration service is a vital ingredient for its economic growth as it is a predominantly tourism-dependent country. It is considered one of the world’s top bracket tourist destinations. With a population of 3.5 lakh, official figures show it receives three times as many visitors in a year.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-provides-new-immigration-system-for-maldives/article4519468.ece

Boeing outlines fix for 787 batteries

Boeing has outlined plans to improve the performance and safety features of the batteries used in its 787 aircraft, after two of the planes infamously experienced on-board incidents at Takamatsu and Boston, but has stopped short of offering a thorough explanation for just what went wrong.
What is known is that something caused the batteries on two 787s to become very hot. Why that happened isn't known, but the company hinted, during a 90-minute presentation and Q&A session in Tokyo, that a “deep discharge” event occurred in one cell of the planes' batteries, heating it to the point at which it vented so much hot electrolyte that an adjacent cell warmed and also vented. A manufacturing fault seems to be the reason such an event was able to occur and the company has outlined three key improvements to stop this happening again.
Mike Sinnett, a Boeing vice president and chief project engineer for the battery fix, was at pains to point out that losing batter power won't mean a nasty end for a 787 flight, as the batteries operate for mere seconds in flight and even then only as bridges between other multiply-redundant power sources in the event the main power source isn't working. The batteries do the bulk of their work on the ground, powering systems when the in-flight generators aren't available.
On the contentious flights, “the cells vented,” Sinnett explained, “and the venting is a protective measure that when something happens in a battery cell the pressure and the heat can build up inside that cell. We vent the cell to prevent the pressure from building up too high and to keep the temperature down.”
“This is what happened in the [Japanese] Takamatsu and the [Boston's airport] Logan event. The heat from the cell propagated to other cells and they vented as well. This is a protective mechanism that is designed into the battery cells.”
But when the batteries vent, they leak vaporised electrolyte which looks like smoke. Sinnett insisted the visible vapours were “not the product of combustion [and] not the result of a fire.” Once the batteries vented, he said, all other systems worked as planned with flight crews notified after smoke detectors worked. The vaporised electrolyte was jettisoned overboard, so never posed a risk to passengers or crew.
Sinnett said the event cannot be considered a “thermal runaway”, and that Boeing's batteries have four levels of protection against the only known catalyst of such an event, namely overcharging. Sinnett said he is “very confident” Boeing has “never seen overcharging” in the 787 fleet. He also said he is content that Boeing's suppliers - GS Yuasa makes the batteries and Thales the charger – aren't at fault.
Both have nonetheless redesigned their contributions to the 787. GS Yuasa will “develop and institute enhanced production standards and tests to further reduce any possibility for variation in the production of the individual cells as well as the overall battery.” The battery box will acquire a, pardon the pun, battery of new insulation and isolation features and reside in a new stainless steel enclosure. All components will work in a newly-narrowed “acceptable level of charge for the battery” that will be achieved “both by lowering the highest charge allowed and raising the lower level allowed for discharge.”

The new and improved design for the Boeing 787 battery box

Another change will see “The battery charger … adapted to soften the charging cycle to put less stress on the battery during charging.”
All of these changes need to be certified before the 787 will fly again. Boeing says it's working to earn those certifications as fast as is practicable.
Senior executives said that once the changes are signed off, they'll happily board a 787, on the first flight if possible.
Boeing's almost-explanation of the incident is available as a PDF. ®
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/03/15/boeing_787_fix/

Ministry panel favours green clearance to Kannur airport

A high-level Environment Ministry panel has recommended granting green clearance to the proposed international airport at north Kerala’s Kannur district.
The decision to recommend the environmental clearance for the airport was taken at the recent meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Building Construction, Coastal Regulation Zone, Infrastructure Development and Miscellaneous projects.

Location
The project involves construction of an international airport at Keezhallur and Pazhassi panchayats in Thalassery in a total land area of 525.50 hectares with a proposed built-up area of 50,000 sq mt.

A final decision on the matter will be taken by Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan, sources said.

The project proponents have been asked to submit details regarding the intersection plan of the proposed second approach to the airport, the energy and water conservation measures and the details of earth cutting and filling for the project before granting final approval.

R&R package
The EAC gave its green signal after assessing the possibility of environmental damage arising from the project.

The panel has asked the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL), chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, to provide rehabilitation and resettlement package for the reported 123 families as per the local norms.
Sources said that 30,421 trees are required to be cut to build the airport. Considering the impact, the EAC has recommended compensatory tree plantation of at least 1:3 ratio and project proponents should bear the cost for its regular maintenance, the sources said.

The trees should be cut only after securing necessary permission from competent authority.

Groundwater
The project proponents should obtain clearance from Central Groundwater Board for drawing groundwater. The panel also asked project proponents to obtain approval of wildlife warden for the proposed Peacock Conservation Plan.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/states/ministry-panel-favours-green-clearance-to-kannur-airport/article4519150.ece

Open sky: Controversy put to rest

Inadequate infrastructure and transportation has been India's biggest hurdles in the growth and development of its economy. The state monopoly, particularly in civil aviation and railways, had effectively trapped these sectors in a time warp. Civil aviation is an instance where the government-owned carriers, with high costs, non-availability of seats, recurrent delays and cancellations and the patronage of vested interests, made the experience of taking a flight a harrowing nightmare. However, in 1999, initiatives were taken by the government for the disinvestment of Indian Airlines and Air India, which was approved by the Cabinet, but this process was abandoned in midstream, when there was an in-principle consensus for 40 per cent divestment of which 26 per cent was to be held by a foreign airline/partner. Instead, there was this disastrous merger between the two entities and the unified Air India is yet to recover and is essentially operating on bailout packages and government largesse.

Private participation in airlines was permitted in the 1990s. The aviation sector was one of the early ones to open up. Unfortunately, the open-sky approach did not work out well. Of the initial players, only Jet has survived, with Sahara in its portfolio. New investors and operators made their entry, of whom a few, such as Paramount, have shut shop. The increase in traffic warranted not just more players but updated airport infrastructure as well. This has been taken more seriously. The N C Committee's recommendation that the private sector be involved in the construction of the major greenfield airports in the metro cities has been successfully implemented. In 2003, the Naresh Chandra Committee (NC Committee) on Civil Aviation recommended privatisation of Air India and Indian Airlines and also proposed providing a level playing field for the provision of ancillary services, instead of priority to the national carriers. However, in so far as foreign investment in the aviation industry is concerned, while 49
 per cent foreign direct investment was permitted in domestic airlines under the automatic route, foreign airline companies were not permitted to invest. Hence, there was no significant foreign investment in this sector - and the open-sky policy remained restricted to the Indian operators. With the recession and oil prices going through the roof, the existing domestic players are also cash strapped.

Of this, Kingfisher, which was the rising star, has effectively downed its shutters. The government has finally acknowledged the linkage between the civil aviation sector and its impact on development. The dire need to bring in foreign investments on one side, and also increase the number of players finally motivated the government to take the decision to open up the sector for foreign investment which should have been done years ago was finally addressed when Press Note 6 of 2013 brought about a policy charge permitting foreign airlines also to invest up to 49 per cent in the paid up capital of Indian companies, and this would be under the approval route.

Why was the sector opened up to foreign airlines? For one, Kingfisher was not the only one in the red, others, including Jet, were making losses on high taxes on fuel, debts and other high operational costs. It was an industry demand. Also, with the predatory pricing, new entrants will make the market more competitive. With that, while aircrafts were acquired and foreign pilots being recruited, technology was not being upgraded.

Interestingly, the contemporaneous media reports interpreted the move to permit foreign entrants as a panacea specific to Kingfisher, as the requirement was that of investing in an existing domestic airline. Rumours of a Gulf-based airline investing in Kingfisher or Jet Air were doing the rounds.

In 2012, the civil aviation sector was opened up for foreign airline companies but subject to the limitations of Press Note 6 (2012 series) of 49 per cent through the automatic route "in the capital of Indian Companies, operating scheduled services" were permitted. However, the interpretation of the above language sparked off a minor controversy as to whether the cart had been placed before the horse in the AirAsia case.

AirAsia, which has been operating international flights in India, made the first move for setting up a joint venture with Tata Sons, holding 30 per cent and an individual holding 21 per cent. Neither entity had any aviation background. This is believed to have sparked off a controversy on the interpretation of the Press Note in question between the two ministries, given the semantics, which perhaps was not entirely unwarranted given that the perception on which the two ministries took different positions. The confusion was whether Indian joint ventures had to be functional operating air transport services provider was a pre-condition.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation's position that the Indian joint venture partner(s) were required to start active operations and meet all regulatory requirements before consideration by the FIPB.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, which is the policymaker, was of the opinion that the comma after "Capital of Indian Companies" indicated that the Indian company did not have to be an existing player. The minister rightly made a statement that the policy framework was clear in its intent. Proceeding on harmonious interpretation, the conclusion was arrived at and as the Hon'ble Minister asserted as the policymaker, the intent had to be paid heed to, and not the nitty gritty.

The resultant company has to be compliant with all the regulatory requirements under the Press Note. That is a condition of the proposal. While in agreement, it may be worthwhile for the sake of good order to amend the language to get rid of the ambiguity.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/open-sky-controversy-put-to-rest-113031800004_1.html

Air safety has improved, says Ajit Singh

Air Safety in India has improved and the country has complied with a majority of International Civil Aviation Organisation's safety recommendations, civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said today.

Last year ICAO carried out a review of Directorate General of Civil Aviation safety oversight procedures. Singh said his ministry had not received the report and there was only a verbal discussion between DGCA and ICAO about its contents.

Singh said it was incorrect to club India with African nations on matters of air safety when number of non complied measures had decreased. He said the average non compliance in Asia-Pacific countries is higher than India.

"There is no compromise with regard to safety. We are second to none in safety," he added.

Rs 5 'trip' levy to fund CAA

Passengers will have to pay Rs 5 on every air trip and levy will be used to fund the Civil Aviation Authority.

In its 2006 audit ICAO had faulted staff shortage in DGCA and said this was a serious concern.

The authority will have operational and financial autonomy as well as recruitment powers and Rs 5 charge will be collected from passengers for its creation.
http://www.business-standard.com/economy-policy

Not worried about AirAsia, says SpiceJet CEO

SpiceJet is unperturbed by Malaysian low-cost airline AirAsia’s foray into India, said Chief Executive Officer Neil Mills on Sunday.

The airline’s better placed and its current focus is to expand its Bombardier Q-400 fleet, said the chief executive officer.

AirAsia plans to launch its India operations later this year from its Chennai base, using three to four Airbus A320 planes. This will bring the airline into head-on competition with SpiceJet, which commands 30 per cent seat capacity share from the Chennai market. “This is not Malaysia. AirAsia has been aggressive in its historic markets like Malaysia and Indonesia, but in Japan and the Philippines, it has not grown much. The airline management will be logical (about pricing in India) and they have to answer to their shareholders. Moreover, airlines in India are not allowed to charge a fee for baggage or preferential seats. The Aircraft Rules of 1937 do not allow it,” said Mills, referring to AirAsia's reliance on ancillary revenue.

According to Mills, SpiceJet is able to run efficient, low-cost operations. “We have a strong balance sheet and we will be able to face competition. The biggest impact will be on those airlines with weak balance sheets and high debts.”

On the high cost of operations in India, Mills said, “It is not an easy environment to operate and grow.”

SpiceJet has a mixed fleet of turbo prop Bombardier Q-400s and Boeing 737s. In the third quarter of financial year 2013, it reported a profit of Rs 102 crore.

Mills said the airline currently has 15 Q-400 planes and there are plans to add five more Q-400s this year, on lease or purchase.

“There is not enough supply on tier-II and tier-III routes and there is high demand. We have achieved break-even on these routes,” he said.

The airline is also planning to expand its international routes and at present is exploring routes in Gulf and Commonwealth of Independent States countries.

He also cautioned against unrealistic fare wars. “Price of fuel continues to remain high and it will be brave to make a demand growth forecast. We were expecting some relief in taxes on aviation turbine fuel in the Budget and are disappointed that has not come through. Irrational pricing is on with two main players offering discount fares in June. Why would you do that when the demand for travel in June is usually good? We, too, will have to match the fare levels.”
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/not-worried-about-airasia-says-spicejet-ceo-113031700201_1.html

Air passengers to pay additional Rs 5 a trip

Passengers will have to pay Rs 5 on every air trip and the levy will be used to fund the proposed Civil Aviation Authority.

In its 2006 audit, the ICAO had noted staff shortage in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and had said this was a serious concern. The authority will have operational and financial autonomy as well as recruitment powers.
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/air-passengers-to-pay-additional-rs-5-a-trip-113031800011_1.html

Aviation ministry planning to revive Juhu airport: Ajit Singh

With air traffic at the Mumbai airport rising and the proposed Navi Mumbai airport getting delayed, the Civil Aviation ministry is planning to revive the Juhu airport to ease the traffic burden.

"Juhu (airport) becomes very important if Mumbai has to maintain its position as the commercial and financial capital of India. Some progress has been made there because Navi Mumbai airport is taking time," Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters here today on the sidelines of an event.

He said that Santa Cruz airport would not be able to accommodate more traffic after two years.

The land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai airport, which was planned to be operational by 2015-16, is yet to be completed.

However, Maharashtra Chief Secretary J K Banthia, who was also present at the event, said that around 70 per cent land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai airport has been completed and the state government was in the process of relocating high tension wires in the area.

Juhu airport, founded in 1928, was India's first civil aviation airport.
Presently, it is used for small aircraft and helicopters. There are plans to extend it's main runway into the sea to enable it to handle ATR turbo prop planes and even airbus A320 planes
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/aviation-ministry-planning-to-revive-juhu-airport-ajit-singh-113031700305_1.html

Aviation ministry planning to revive Juhu airport: Ajit Singh

: With air traffic at the Mumbai airport rising and the proposed Navi Mumbai airport getting delayed, the Civil Aviation ministry is planning to revive the Juhu airport to ease the traffic burden.
"Juhu (airport) becomes very important if Mumbai has to maintain its position as the commercial and financial capital of India. Some progress has been made there because Navi Mumbai airport is taking time," Civil Aviation MinisterAjit Singh told reporters here today on the sidelines of an event.
He said that Santa Cruz airport would not be able to accommodate more traffic after two years.
The land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai airport, which was planned to be operational by 2015-16, is yet to be completed.
However, Maharashtra Chief Secretary J K Banthia, who was also present at the event, said that around 70 per cent land acquisition for the Navi Mumbai airport has been completed and the state government was in the process of relocating high tension wires in the area.
Juhu airport, founded in 1928, was India's first civil aviation airport.
Presently, it is used for small aircraft and helicopters. There are plans to extend it's main runway into the sea to enable it to handle ATR turbo prop planes and even airbus A320 planes.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/aviation-ministry-planning-to-revive-juhu-airport-ajit-singh/articleshow/19021856.cms

Airbus, 7 IA officers booked for diluting concession

The CBI registered an FIR against Airbus Industrie of France and seven former and serving officials of Indian Airlines - now merged with Air India - for failing to properly implement a concession clause built into a Rs. 9,000-crore agreement for acquiring 43 aircraft in 2006.
The CBI began the preliminary enquiry nearly two years ago against unknown persons, alleging that the clause on setting up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) unit, a warehouse for spares and a training centre at a cost of $175 million (around Rs. 750 crore) was diluted in the agreement.
The Comptroller and Auditor General also raised objections in this regard in its performance audit of civil aviation in India for 2011-12, saying that the airline didn't put legally binding clauses in the agreement for enforcing the concession. 
Besides Airbus Industrie, the CBI named then Indian Airlines deputy managing director Manet Paes, three former directors and three other officers as accused in the case.
According to sources, these concessions were extracted from Airbus by an empowered group of ministers, led by then finance minister P Chidambaram. Under the deal, all the 43 aircraft were supplied by Airbus by April 2010.
An Airbus spokesperson, however, said Airbus had been in dialogue with the civil aviation ministry and Air India. He said the MRO, training and spares centre had been formally committed and the spares centre also became operational since 2007.
Besides, of its two training centres, one has become operational in Bangalore while another in Noida will start in 2013.
"With the recent changes to the taxes on MRO, the business case is now viable and construction of an Airbus MRO will begin in 2013."
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/SectorsAviation/Airbus-7-IA-officers-booked-for-diluting-concession/Article1-1027134.aspx

India hands over advance passenger info system to Maldives

India today handed over an Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) to Maldives that would allow authorities here in providing safe and efficient immigration service to travellers to the country, whose main source of foreign revenue is tourism.

Maldivian authorities said the new system installed at the Male's Ibrahim Nasir International Airport marks a "giant step" forward in the capability of the country's immigration to provide better service to the travellers.

The APIS will feed advance information on the passengers travelling to and from Maldives, to the Border Control System in the country, for use by the various enforcement agencies in the country like the immigration, customs and police.

Maldives, with a population of about 350,000 is a world famous luxury tourist destination and receives close to one million foreign tourists every year.

The APIS was formally handed over by High Commissioner of India to Maldives Dnyaneshwar M Mulay to Maldives' Controller of Immigration & Emigration Mohamed Ali.

Speaking on the occasion, Mulay described the handing over of the system as yet another milestone in the bilateral development partnership that has grown from strength to strength over the years.

Ali thanked India for the extensive assistance provided in the development of Maldives and termed the installation of the system as a "giant step" for the country's immigration service, Indian mission here said in a statement
http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/india-hands-over-advance-passenger-info-system-to-maldives-113031700316_1.html

Kannur airport to get green approval soon

: The ministry of environment is likely to give its nod for the proposed international airport project in Kannur soon. A final decision on the matter now rests with Union environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan, after a high-level panel has recommended the granting of green clearance to the airport.
 The decision to recommend the environmental clearance for the airport was taken at the recent meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) for Building Construction, Coastal Regulation Zone, Infrastructure Development and miscellaneous projectsThe project proponents have been asked to submit details regarding the intersection plan of the proposed second approach to the airport, the energy and water conservation measures and the details of earth cutting and filling for the project before granting final approval. The airport is planned to be built at Keezhallur and Pazhassi Pachayats in Thalassery. The airport-second in Malabar region-will have a built-up area of 50,000 sq metre and it requires a total land area of 525.50 hectares.
 The panel assessed the possibility of environmental damage the project cause before recommending it for approval. The committee has also asked the Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) for a detailed rehabilitation and resettlement package for about 123 families, which will lose their land to the project. For the estimated 30,421 trees that would face the axe, the committee recommended compensatory plantation in the ratio of 1:3.
 The KIAL will have to get clearance from the Central Ground Water Board for drawing groundwater. The panel also asked project proponents to obtain approval of the wildlife warden for the proposed Peacock Conservation Plan.
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-03-17/kozhikode/37786890_1_kannur-airport-green-clearance-environmental-clearance
 

Dreamliners battery snag being rectified; operations soon

State-run carrier Air India’s brand new fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners that has been on the ground since January after several of these aircraft world over reported battery fire may resume operations by April end.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation Arun Mishra, the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), the highest authority on civil aviation has approved Boeing’s plan to fix the battery-fire problem. A team of Boeing engineers is expected here by the month end which will rectify the battery snag.
“Air India can put these Dreamliner aircraft into service by the end of April after tests on the lithium ion battery packages are successfully carried out by Boeing,” he said.
The Boeing team will take about a week to address the battery problem and a new battery kit is likely to be installed in each of the six grounded Dreamlines in AI’s fleet.
Following the snag that was endemic in all the Dreamliners across the world, the US aircraft maker Boeing has developed new battery kits which will replace the old ones in which snag was detected.
“The new kits have been put to complete test by the FAA. It will take the FAA anywhere between 3-4 weeks to install, check and declare the aircraft airworthy. Since these are electrical equipment all necessary checks and double checks will be implemented before these aircraft fly again,” the source added.
Boeing has also informed the airlines in seven countries which have grounded all the 50 Boeing 787s since January about the FAAC approval.
The 50 Dreamliners which have been delivered so far to airlines in India, Chile, Ethiopia, Japan,  Poland and Qatar and the US  were grounded after two battery-fire incidents in January.
Financially beleaguered Air India was banking heavily on the fuel efficient Dreamlines and these state-of-the-art new generation aircraft were being operated on the Paris, Frankfurt and Dubai and certain domestic routes.
“The Dreamliner would surely change the landscape of how airline conduct their business in the long run, but one will have to wait till such time that these aircraft are declared airworthy,” an aviation analyst said.
http://newindianexpress.com/business/news/article1503431.ece
 

Short respite: Chennai airport to collect user fee from April 1

In a relief to flyers from Chennai, the imposition of user development fee (UDF) has been pushed back to April 1 even as airport authorities are hopeful that the new terminal will start operations on March 20.
 Earlier, a fee of Rs 166 on every passenger catching a domestic flight and Rs 667 on a passenger boarding an international flight was to be levied from March 1, 2013.
 Passengers objected to it
Despite the terminal not being commissioned, the AAI started collecting the fee from March 10 stating that the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) had notified the collection. However, the passenger community objected on how the fee could be collected when the facility was not yet ready.For two to three days, there was commotion in the airport with some of the airlines asking the passengers, who had waited long in the queue to collect their boarding passes, to first pay the fee.
 D. Sudhakara Reddy, National President, Air Passengers’ Association of India, said “How can they charge the fee when the facility is not yet ready. It is like going to a hotel and paying for the food that was not served. There was no logic in collecting the fee.”
 New terminal
The decision to push back the levy has been taken as the new terminal building is not yet being used by the airlines operating from the city.
“The AAI , which has undertaken the modernisation of the airport, is hopeful of all airlines shifting to the new building by March 20. Even if the airlines shift their operations by March 20, the UDF levy will only be from April 1,” a senior AAI official said.
 AERA allowed AAI to levy UDF to offset the expenses it incurred for modernising the airport terminal.
However, the levy of UDF came at a time when the commissioning of the new terminals was deferred again as the baggage ramps have not been cleared for use.
The new terminal building was inaugurated by the Vice-President on January 31.
Meanwhile, on Thursday a meeting was held among all the stakeholders to discuss the various issues, including that of the ramp, pertaining to the terminal.
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/logistics/chennai-airport-to-levy-rs-150-development-fee-from-april/article4512000.ece

Boeing says Dreamliner could fly again within weeks

Boeing Co said its 787 Dreamliner jets could be airborne within weeks with a fortified power pack that would eliminate the risk of fire, confident the U.S. aviation authority would approve the redesigned battery soon.
Regulators grounded all 50 of the carbon-composite Dreamliners in use by airlines worldwide in January after a battery caught fire on a Japan Airlines Co. 787 jet at Boston's Logan airport and a battery melted on an All Nippon Airways Co. flight in Japan. Boeing, which has Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to test its new battery for certification, said Friday it will encase the redesigned power pack in a steel box, pack it with added insulation, heat-resistant material and spacers, drill drain holes to remove moisture and vent any gases from overheating directly to the atmosphere outside the aircraft.
 "If we look at the normal process and the way in which we work with the FAA, and we look at the testing that's ahead of us, it is reasonable to expect we could be back up and going in weeks, not months," the 787's chief engineer, Mike Sinnett, said at a briefing in Tokyo.
 But the Civil Aviation Bureau (CAB), FAA's counterpart in Japan, dismissed Sinnett's prediction, saying it was still too early to say when 787 operations could resume.
 Investigations by Japanese and U.S. transport regulators are still ongoing.
 The investigators may never uncover the root cause of those failures, Sinnett said.
 "Because we did not find the single root cause, we looked at everything that could impact a battery and set a broad set of solutions," Sinnett said.
 The fortified power pack can withstand 80 possible malfunctions covering all the potential failure scenarios that Boeing engineers could envisage, he said.
 Boeing is now about a third of a way through the certification process of the new battery, Sinnett said.
 The aircraft maker will also bolster quality control at battery component makers GS Yuasa and Thales Sa and install a new charger that would be keep voltage within a tighter range to guard against possible overheating.
"I would gladly have my family, my wife and my children, fly on this airplane," Sinnett said.
 'INAPPROPRIATE'
 Shigeru Takano, the air transport safety director at the CAB, which will assess and approve Boeing's proposed fix, said Sinnett's comment on the battery probe was "inappropriate."
 Investigators were still diligently analyzing data from the JAL and ANA power packs, Takano said.
 "At this time we are not yet in a position to say when flights will restart," Takano said.

A transport ministry source, who declined to be identified because he is not authorized to talk to the media, later told Reuters that it was possible the 787 will fly again in "several weeks."
 But the source cautioned that regulators will take as much time as they need to assess the battery fix.
 Boeing still faces a rigorous testing regimen for its new battery and faces U.S. public hearings in April on the safety of its lithium-ion batteries.
 Once regulators allow Boeing's 787 to fly with a modified battery, work to install the new power packs and add a specialized vent will take about a week per plane, Boeing vice president in charge of 787 services Mike Fleming said after the briefing in Tokyo.
 The work will be undertaken on-site, rather than at Boeing's assembly plants in the United States. The aircraft maker does not have the capacity to work on all 50 Dreamliners at the same time and will fix them in the order they were delivered, Fleming said.
 That would put launch customer, Japan's ANA, at the head of the queue.
 "We are hoping that considerations of Boeing's improvement plan will move along quickly," said a spokesman for ANA, which owns 17 Dreamliners, accounting for about a tenth of its fleet.
 Japan is Boeing's biggest customer for the fuel-efficient aircraft, which has a list price of $207 million. JAL and ANA combined account for almost half the global Dreamliner fleet.
Japan's presence in the Dreamliner project as both customer and partner prompted Boeing to pick Tokyo to reveal details of its battery fix, said Ray Conner, the chief executive of Boeing's commercial aircraft unit.
 Shares in JAL and ANA have risen 20 percent and 16 percent, respectively, in Tokyo trading since Jan. 7 - the day of the JAL battery fire in Boston.
 Investors expect little impact on operations as the carriers use other aircraft to limit cancellations, with Boeing also likely seen compensating the carriers for losses.
 The stock gain was in line with an 18 percent rise in the broader market. Boeing's stock has advanced 11 percent.
 http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130315/NEWS05/130319854/boeing-says-dreamliner-could-fly-again-within-weeks#ixzz2NhN1ri8W