The company said that the test proves that the 787's
horizontal stabiliser is capable of withstanding 150% of the load it is expected to see in its lifetime.
Engineers apparently found a crack in the
horizontal stabiliser on one of two aircraft undergoing aging aircraft inspections and then grounded a third and also found cracks in the tail of that aircraft, according to news.com.au.
The pilot of the 37-seat Embraer aircraft apparently reported control problems, which were related to the system that electronically controls the aircrafts
horizontal stabiliser an aircraft spokesperson said.
It is believed that the pilots were unable to control the aircraft due to the
horizontal stabiliser on the aircraft malfunctioning, putting the aircraft into a dive.
The hearings are expected to focus on the design and maintenance of the jackscrew mechanism that controls the aircraft's
horizontal stabiliser, which in turn controls the altitude of the nose.
The hearings, which begin on 13 December, will address a number of issues, such as the airline's maintenance practices, oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration and the design of the
horizontal stabiliser according to Reuters.
The current AD requires a revision of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) to include procedures that prevent dry operation of the centre wing fuel tank override/jettison pumps and, for certain aircraft, prohibit operation of the
horizontal stabiliser tank transfer pumps in-flight.
The components have been installed in the vertical fin and
horizontal stabilisers of a 777-300ER (extended range) that will be delivered to Emirates later this year.
An aircraft's
horizontal stabilisers control its ability to ascend, maintain level flight and descend.
Bombardier in Belfast is responsible for the design and manufacture of a range of parts for the Global aircraft family, including the forward fuselages, engine nacelles,
horizontal stabilisers and other components.
At the same time,
horizontal stabilisers became detached from the tail, and the wings folded up before separating from the fuselage.
Aircraft manufacturer Boeing (NYSE:BA) announced yesterday that it had recently identified a workmanship issue with the 787's
horizontal stabilisers and will inspect all aircraft and rework if discrepancies are found.
