WASHINGTON D.C. - Boeing's 787 Dreamliners are one step closer to getting back in the air.
Federal regulators approved a plan Tuesday to redesign the Dreamliner's fire-prone lithium-ion batteries, although extensive testing is needed before the planes can fly passengers again.
The Federal Aviation Administration says the plan includes a redesign of the internal battery components to shrink the possibility of short-circuiting, better insulation of the battery's eight cells, and the addition of a new containment and venting system.
The FAA says the battery certification plan requires a series of tests, including flight tests, which must be passed before the 787 can return to service.
The fleet of planes has been grounded since Jan 16 after a battery fire on a Dreamliner parked in Boston, and a smoking battery that led to emergency landing by another plane in Japan.
