FAA Instructs Airlines to Inspect/Remove 787 Emergency Beacons

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday published an airworthiness directive advising airlines to remove or inspect emergency beacons in Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliners, following a fire earlier this month that was traced to one of the units, made by Honeywell International Inc.

The directive goes farther than the FAA indicated last week, when it said airlines should inspect the units on 787s for pinched wires in the casing and evidence of heat or moisture. Boeing advised airlines last week to inspect or remove the device, known as an emergency locator transmitter or ELT.