Back to basics
It's time to get back to basics; what are Boeing going to DO? What are their options?
There are few things more serious than an in-flight fire, however supposedly contained or containable. The current batteries have demonstrated an unacceptable risk of such, and not by a small margin.
If Boeing want to continue using the existing technology, they're going to have an uphill battle proving it safe; this will not be quick, cheap, or easy.
If they decide to switch to a different technology... well that's a whole different ball game. Any other battery technology will not have the same energy density; they won't be able to fit alternative technology batteries with equivalent capacity in the same *space*. So not only would switching to a different battery technology entail a complete redesign of the charging and monitoring systems, it would require structural reengineering of the equipment bays to fit larger batteries.
Neither of these options are going to be quick. This aircraft isn't going anywhere any time soon. Not this year, maybe even not next.
(I'm no electrical engineer and neither are most of you - but engineers I know and trust have the same opinion)
Last edited by Ranger One; 2nd February 2013 at 05:35.