By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
Lithium batteries that can leak corrosive fluid and start fires have emerged as the chief safety concern involving Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, a problem that apparently is far more serious than government or company officials acknowledged less than a week ago.
The government is taking a tentative step toward making it easier for airlines to allow passengers to use personal electronic devices such as tablets, e-readers and music players during takeoffs and landings.
It was the end of a long-haul passenger flight from Newark, N.J., and the LOT Polish Airlines Boeing 767 was about to land in Warsaw. But the pilots had a problem: The plane's hydraulic system had failed a half-hour into the flight.
"Anytime you have leakage of battery fluid it's a very serious situation," said Kevin Hiatt, president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation in Alexandria, Va., which promotes global airline safety.
"Anytime you have a fire on board — whether it's the battery that has caused it or a passenger that caused it or another electrical component — that's a very a serious situation on an aircraft and something not to be taken lightly," said Kevin Hiatt, president of the Flight Safety Foundation.
