As Boeing gets closer and closer to getting their 787 Dreamliner back in business and in the air, many airlines with Dreamliners are anxiously waiting for the all-clear from the Federal Aviation Administration--one of those airlines is Ethiopian Airlines.
According to Tewolde Gebremariam, the chief executive of Ethiopian Airlines, " the company expects FAA approval within a few days," stated Associated Press.
It has been a widely reported story, but for those who are unaware of the Dreamliner's issues, they have been grounded since January, due to a risk of fire from the plane's lithium-ion batteries.
Since being grounded by the FAA, Boeing engineers have been tirelessly working to fix the battery.
For Ethiopian Airlines, the first airline in the world outside Japan to fly paying passengers on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, it is not all about getting back to business as normal, it is about representing an entire continent.
"By being the first airline in the world outside Japan to take delivery to take this wonderful flying machine, we are setting the standard in the continent," he said. "A continent which was known in the past for all the doom and gloom news reports. Now Africa is growing. Ethiopia is growing. Ethiopian Airlines is growing...competing with the global mega carriers of the world with the same standard of aircraft ... with the same standard of products and services. I think it is an historic milestone," said Gebremariam,at the inauguration event for the Dreamliner back in August of 2012, according to USA Today.
However, the FAA is still very cautious about the Dreamliner battery and is certain not to give its approval until they can deem everything safe.
"The certification plan is the first step in the process to evaluate the 787's return to flight and requires Boeing to conduct extensive testing and analysis to demonstrate compliance with the applicable safety regulations and special conditions," the FAA said in a statement released Tuesday, according to CNN.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood added, "this comprehensive series of tests will show us whether the proposed battery improvements will work as designed," according to CNN. "We won't allow the plane to return to service unless we're satisfied that the new design ensures the safety of the aircraft and its passengers."
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