Newly delivered Boeing Dreamliner’s landing gear malfunctions
The world’s first Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliner experienced a problem with its landing gear less than two weeks after the new aircraft embarked on its maiden passenger flight for carrier All Nippon Airways.
The airline’s pilots had to manually deploy the Dreamliner’s landing gear after the automated system did not engage, the company said. The incident occurred on a Sunday morning flight when the plane was approaching Okayama Airport in western Japan from Haneda Airport in Tokyo. The aircraft has since resumed operations.
Nao Gunji, an All Nippon spokeswoman, said the problem was linked to a hydraulic valve.
Chicago-based Boeing said it had technicians on site to work with All Nippon to fix the issue.
“Maintenance has been performed and the aircraft is now back in service,” said Loretta Gunter, a Boeing spokeswoman. Boeing engineers believe that this is an isolated incident and not a fleetwide design issue, she said.
The Dreamliner is an all-new commercial jetliner that Boeing says is the most advanced, fuel-stingy passenger jet ever made. It features a suite of new technologies, such as the largest windows on a commercial jetliner and extensive use of strong, lightweight carbon composites rather than sheets of aluminum.
The aircraft was delivered to All Nippon more than three years late because of design problems and supplier issues. It took off on its first passenger flight Oct. 26.
The Dreamliner, which will seat 210 to 290 passengers, is the first new class of aircraft launched by Boeing since the 777 in 1995.
There are more than 800 orders for the Dreamliner from airlines and aircraft leasing firms around the world.
