Aircraft manufacturer Boeing is facing a new problem: icing risks leaving 747-8 jets and some 787 Dreamliner jets temporarily powerless.
"This is a problem that's affecting engines on both of those planes manufactured by General Electric. The ice is forming just behind the fan blades." (Via Al Jazeera)
The warning extended to 15 airlines servicing the jets. Boeing reports when the planes fly near thunderstorms, the engines reportedly get a buildup of ice crystals, reducing the engine's thrust. (Via Boeing)
Sky News reports the warning follows six incidents between April and November where planes experienced a temporary loss of power while flying at high altitudes.
Now, Boeing prohibits affected aircrafts "from flying at high altitude within 50 nautical miles of thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals." (Via Sky News)
In response to the news, the BBC reports Japan Airlines chose to withdraw Dreamliners from service. It quotes a General Electric spokesperson saying there's "a growing number of ice-crystal icing encounters in recent years as the population of large commercial airliners has grown, particularly in tropical regions of the world."
This problem is just the latest for Boeing, which has experienced numerous problems with its planes in the past few years.
The Telegraph has a comprehensive list of problems, which range from manufacturing errors, engine failures and fuel leaks to fires and battery problems.
