WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday filed formal approval of Boeing's 787 battery fix that will clear the way for the troubled aircraft to fly again.
The FAA's new airworthiness directive for the 787 requires the installation of new and auxiliary power unit batteries and their respective chargers, as well as battery enclosures and ducts.
"Once the aircraft are in compliance with the AD, they can return to service," an FAA spokesman said in an email.
The FAA filing in the Federal Register is set to take effect Friday.
In January the FAA grounded all 787s in service after two incidents on aircraft already in commercial service involving the batteries.
The latest FAA airworthiness directive technically only affects United Airlines's six 787s, since it is the sole US carrier with the cutting-edge plane.
"The AD affects only U.S.-registered aircraft, but we expect foreign civil aviation authorities will order the same action," the FAA spokesman said.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013
