Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner returns to the air for the first time since batteries were found smouldering during flights in January .

Two-hour flight from Ethiopia to Kenyan capital, Nairobi marks return of jet

Redesigned battery system approved to reduce risk of fire

         Passengers breathe a sight of relief as they disembark a Dreamliner jet.
They are the first passengers to fly on Boeing 787in months

A Boeing 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines flew from Ethiopia to Kenya's capital today in the first commercial flight since air safety authorities grounded the Dreamliners in January.The jet flew from Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa to Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after Boeing's redesigned battery system was approved by safety experts.
Incidents with smouldering batteries on two different flights led to the fleet being put on hold.
US Federal Aviation Administration said Boeing's new system sharply reduces the risk of fire.

Richard J. Horigan, a Boeing engineer, told reporters in Nairobi this week that all potential causes of battery fire have been eliminated with the new system.
But he noted that the root cause of smouldering batteries experienced by the two different 787s may never be known because the evidence was destroyed by heat.

 There are a total of 50 Dreamliners in service around the world.

The 787 is Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced plane. It is the world's first airliner made mostly from lightweight composite materials.
It also relies on electronic systems rather than hydraulic or mechanical systems to a greater degree than any other airliner.
Boeing is the first airliner to make extensive use of lithium ion batteries, which are lighter, recharge faster and can hold more energy than other types of batteries.
Boeing has billed the plane to its customers as 20 percent more fuel efficient than other midsized airliners.
Once the FAA approves the fix on individual planes, airlines can start flying them again.
United Airlines, the only US airline with the planes, moved one of its six 787s to a Boeing facility in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday so it can get the battery fixed.

Boeing said new batteries and kits with the parts for the new battery systems are ready to be shipped immediately. The 787s will get the fix in approximately the order they were delivered, Boeing said.'The Boeing team is ready to help get our customers' 787s back in the air where they belong,' said Ray Conner, who runs Boeing Co.'s commercial airplane division.
United Airlines already has domestic 787 flights scheduled for May 31.
Spokeswoman Christen David said no other schedule changes have been made yet. Its launch of Denver-to-Tokyo Narita flights is still planned for June 10, but that will depend on installing the battery fix by then, she said.
'We are mapping out a return-to-service plan, and we look forward to getting our 787s back in the air,' she said by e-mail.