Watch those laptops in your airplanes.

[Jamie]

Be mindful when carrying your laptops in your airplanes. The NTSB is suspecting laptop batteries to be the source of several recent incidents.

See the story here.

[Mike S]

Interesting.

Those of us who fly R/C have been bombarded with the hazards of Li-Po batteries as i t relates to charging, and shorting the leads.

Now looks like they dont like altitude?????

Possably something in the venting of the unit, or maybe NOT vented cases distorting and causing an internal short???

Any of you out there work in the industry and can shed some light.

Mike

[JackT]

79-18-05; Title: Revision: LITHIUM SULFUR DIOXIDE BATTERIES: Applies to all Lithium Sulfur Dioxide (LiSO2) Batteries

To prevent fire, venting violently, explosion, corrosion, or leakage of gas associated with certain LiSO2 batteries, accomplish the following:

(a) Before further flight, remove all LiSO2 batteries which do not meet the requirements of TSO-C97 from U.S.-registered civil aircraft, including any installed in equipment used in such aircraft.

NOTE: This AD requires that LiSO2 batteries used in U.S.-registered civil aircraft meet the requirements of TSO-C97. LiSO2 batteries removed from equipment in accordance with AD 79-05-02 or this AD may be replaced by LiSO2 batteries which meet the requirements of TSO-C97 or another power source. However, in either case the equipment must meet all applicable requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
__________________________________________________ _

As you can see, this issue goes way back. We just got new AEDs for our corporate aircraft and the batteries were placarded against use in aircraft. A quick call to the mfg and they had TSO-C97 batteries available.

If you have a "Lithium Ion Sulphur Dioxide" (sp) battery in anything, it is not legal to be carried in any civil registered aircraft registered in any category.

Read the AD and judge for yourselves but I believe this includes carry on equipment.

[OneTwoSierra]

The article linked in the first post of this thread says Lithium Ion batteries - not Lithium Sulphur Dioxide. Now, it is a reporter writing the story - so 'minor' (read: IMPORTANT) details are almost always confused. I'd chalk this one up to Liberal Arts error.

Lithium Ion batteries are what's in most newer equipment - cell phones, digital cameras, camcorders, and laptops. The Garmin 396 has a Li-ion battery. If these are indeed a potential problem, then this would be new news to the NTSB.