Nothing is wrong with the Dreamliner. The problems are with components supplied by low bidders from outside Boeing. The Dreamliner will become one of the great successes of the airline business. These shakedown problems give Boeing a black eye, though.

I agree with the previous poster about quality of "parts".... "parts is NOT parts". The fire issues may simply be bad wires from Chinese manufacturers. Chinese sheet rock is toxic to humans. Maybe their wires are an amalgam of copper that has greater resistance than normal.

#1 is correct. The facilities in Washington state and in Charleston, SC, are merely assembly plants.

See also the Telegraph article "UK factory dragged into Dreamliner investigation" at

http://tinyurl.com/bb96aj9

Furthermore, many of these sorts of Chinese suspicious “sleeper” components are in our sophisticated military equipment.

Hmmm, LI batteries have a long history of explody behaviour.
So, the green weenies decided that making a green plane-with as many disparate consultants as possible(cuz design by committee ALWAYS works out)was far more important than oh,peoples lives!!!

#5 you stole my thought!

Just like the battery-related fire problems on the Chevy Volt (and other green experimental vehicles).

I am all for green technology if the technology 1) is fully tested 2) is better than existing technology 3) saves money and 4) is not forced by government mandates or pressure

I am curious about how many of the 4 were violated here and with the Volt.

#´S 5 & 6, you are both spot on! LI technology still has a good ways to go, there is a big difference in an LI battery for use in a cell phone or camera, and the large 24VDC units used in cars and aircraft. None are really "safe", but size just compounds the problems.

Don´t personally know, but if the plane is plagued with electrical problems it is likely due to cheap green coatings on wires that abrade and short out...

Union made.

Next question?

The execrable Phil Condit blew-up Boeing´s successful Seattle-based airplane manufacturing model back in the 90´s. Boeing relied heavily on local businesses to supply its parts. There was very tight, local quality control. Mr. Condit didn´t give a rat´s rear end about quality or the fact he gave important parts of the airplane to be manufactured by our enemies. Guess what... our enemies took advantage. Phil Condit should lose his citizenship for the damage he´s done to a once great American company.

LI batteries are the problem. We used these on some technical gear aboard a survey ship. Because of their tendency toward combustion the had to be stored in a separated enclosed sealed compartment where any fire would eventually go out for lack of oxygen. Lithium and other metal fires cannot be put out with conventional extinguishers. Type specific extinguishers must be used. Disposal of the expended batteries is yet another logistical nightmare.

Thoudands of these on the road, never mind on aircraft ...

Batteries!