Boeing requests permission for 787 test flights from federal regulators

SEATTLE — Federal regulators are evaluating a request from Boeing to allow test flights of its troubled 787.

The news broke late Monday that Boeing wants to do the flights as it looks for a fix for the problem.

If allowed, the flights would be the first since several battery fires grounded the entire fleet nearly three weeks ago.

A lithium ion battery in a Japan Airlines 787 caught fire on Jan. 7 while the plane was parked at Logan International Airport in Boston.

Nine days later, battery problems forced an emergency landing by an All Nippon Airways 787 in Japan.

Investigators said Tuesday that they found signs of similar problems in both batteries that burned last month on Dreamliner jets.

The problem is called thermal runaway -- a chemical reaction in which rising temperature causes progressively hotter temperatures.

Investigations continue in the U.S. and Japan.    Read more Boeing news here.

KIRO