The Boeing 787 Dreamliner just can't catch a break. After all of the planes were grounded following some seriously troubling melting batteries, the FAA has been taking a look into what exactly went wrong. They'll take their time though; it could be years before the birds are back in the sky.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters that the investigation has to be slow going, saying "We're not feeling any pressure. We're going to get this right. We have to get this right." And he's not wrong; melting batteries are no joke. So far there are no real leads on what the problem really was, and so we're no closer to being able to solve it reliably. If you can't figure out what it was, you have to fix everything it could have been.
There's no deadline for the investigation, and according to the retired aviation investigations chief at the National Transportation Safety Board, Tom Haueter, that means it could take years. After all, the evidence is all destroyed by fire. The investigation doesn't have to be complete before the birds fly again, but obviously everyone would be more comfortable if it was. It could be a long, rocky, grounded road ahead for the Dreamliner. [Bloomberg]