One grande skinny de-caf late, hold the lithium please. Before we go further on this item, we have to fess up and say it like it is… we don’t claim to be highly trained technical experts, but we DO like drinking coffee (and not that skinny de-caf crap)…a lot.
As all you would be well aware of, Japanese, US and Boeing tech experts have been pouring over – so to speak – the electronics of the new B787 Dreamliner after two fire incidents involving the onboard lithium-ion batteries. So far they’re scratching their proverbial heads trying to figure out what exactly what caused the batteries to overheat and catch fire, but we think we might have come up with a low-tech answer to the high-tech problem.
According to a safety alert published on the Federal Aviation Administration’s webs i te in early January, prepackaged coffee filters many airlines use are susceptible to pressure buildup and can explode when an unsuspecting attendant lifts the coffee pot to pour a cup.
Coffee makers on aircraft, similar to home drip-style coffee makers, have the filter and coffee grounds above the coffee pot. Many airlines use prepackaged coffee sealed within the coffee filter for convenience and ease of cleanup.
When the filters are incorrectly placed in the coffee maker the water can become blocked from dripping into the coffee pot below and pressure builds up within the container holding the filter and coffee grounds.
When an unsuspecting flight attendant removes the coffee pot, the clogged compartment above suddenly has much more room to expand and the filter can burst, with its hot contents and hot water possibly injuring passengers and crew. Several cases of bursting java filters have caused flight crew and passengers to suffer first- and seconddegree burns, according to the FAA’s warning.
And we hasten to add, spilling coffee on lithium-ion batteries isn’t a good idea either. So there’s two theories from the Belly Ache Tech Experts as to what went wrong on the Japanese Dreamliners:
1. incorrectly installed coffee filters, or
2. coffee spilled on the battery. Actually, come to think of it, maybe it was green tea! Whatever the case, our solution is simple.
Scrap those crappy coffee making machines and replace them with real espresso machines! Maybe airlines around the world can send their flight attendants to Stirbucks for some ‘barista’ training too. That way no one gets hurt, no planes catch fire…and most important of all…the passengers (even in the back of the bus), get REAL coffee to drink.
But for now, the FAA is encouraging air carriers and operators to add their warnings to flight-attendant manuals, training manuals and by warning crew members of the dangers of making coffee incorrectly.
So think twice next time before answering the coffee tea or me question. As for us, we’re sitting tight just waiting for the safety experts to come to the same conclusion before we say ‘we told you so!’. This Belly Ache has been brought to you by Stirbucks.