( CNN ) -- Boeing has warned airlines to keep some 747-8 and 787 aircraft away from certain storms because of possible icing problems in engines . The aircraft manufacturer sent a message to `` customers who operate some GE-powered engines after instances of ice crystal icing that resulted in temporary diminished engine performance , '' spokesman Marc Birtel said in a statement . Boeing said pilots should keep the planes at least 50 nautical miles from storms that may contain ice crystals until General Electric can make improvements to the `` GEnx '' engines . Only a small number of the engines have had a problem with ice crystals , the statement said . Boeing began delivering its 787 Dreamliners in 2011 . The model is billed as a super-efficient , high-technology airliner of the future , and it flew without major problems for a year . But a battery fire forced the diversion of an All Nippon Airways flight in January 2013 . The entire fleet of 50 planes was grounded for four months while Boeing made repairs . Later , a United Airlines Dreamliner made an emergency landing in Houston with brake problems and a fire broke out on an unoccupied Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner in London . There also have been investigations into a faulty fuel pump indicator , an electric panel , a plane oven and emergency beacons . CNN 's Tory Dunnan and Mike Ahlers contributed to this report .
Boeing claims some GE engines can fix for storms . Caution to avoid storms applies to some 737 - 400 planes as well as 787 Dreamliners . The 737 is Boeing 's latest high - tech , fuel - efficient aircraft .