NTSB news conference today on 787 battery fire
The National Transportation Safety Board plans to reveal new information today in its investigation of a lithium-ion battery fire aboard a Boeing 787.
The news conference is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Tucson time.
Investigators visited Oro Valley-based Securaplane Technologies Inc. as part of their inquiry.
They announced Sunday a planned test of the auxiliary power unit charger, which Securaplane manufactures.
The Phoenix office of Pratt & Whitney, which makes the auxiliary power unit controller, was also part of the investigation itinerary.
Securaplane, owned by British aerospace and defense company Meggitt, has 160 employees, spokeswoman Fiona Greig said.
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The company is cooperating with the investigation, she said.
Regulators grounded the 787 after a battery malfunction and smoke led an All Nippon Airways flight to make an emergency landing last week in Japan, and a battery aboard a parked 787 ignited at Logan Airport in Boston on Jan. 7.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that the Japanese investigation into the battery that prompted the emergency landing last week has found no evidence that the battery was overcharged.
"There is no direct evidence of overcharging," Norihiro Goto, chairman of the Japanese Transport Safety Board, told the Times, though he stressed it was too early to reach a firm conclusion. "There is a possibility that something went wrong within the battery itself," he said.
The batteries were manufactured by Japan's GS Yuasa.
Similarly, U.S. investigators announced Sunday they had ruled out excess voltage as the cause of the battery fire on the parked 787 in Boston, but they planned this week to look into other aspects of the charging process.
Staff and wire reports
Apple warns its growth in sales is slowing
NEW YORK - Apple Inc. warned Wednesday that the blockbuster sales growth of the last five years is slowing drastically, as iPhone sales are starting to plateau.
The outlook sent Apple shares plunging by 10 percent, wiping out a year's worth of gains.
Analysts said the warning suggested that Apple can no longer sustain its growth without some completely new product. Its last revolutionary product launch was the iPad in 2010.
"It has been an overriding concern with Apple that they would not be able to generate revenue growth just rolling out new versions of old products," said Jeff Sica, president of SICA Wealth Management. "Now they've proven it in their numbers."
On a conference call with analysts, Apple CEO Tim Cook rebutted that idea but gave no details. "We're working on some incredible stuff. The pipeline is chock-full," he said.
Net income doubles in 4Q for US Airways
Tempe-based US Airways said net income doubled in the fourth quarter as its planes were fuller and it made more money off each passenger.
The airline reported a profit of $37 million, or 22 cents per share, compared with $18 million, or 11 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 3.9 percent to $3.28 billon. US Airways is in merger talks with American Airlines but did not refer to those Wednesday.
McDonald's new items include 'Fish McBites'
McDonald's, the world's biggest hamburger chain, is turning to a pipeline of new menu items to boost slumping sales, starting with "Fish McBites," set to be launched as a limited-time menu addition in February.
The Associated Press