John "Mick" Bednarek, part of Task Force Lightning in Diyala province, one of the war's major battlegrounds.

CNN: U.S. officials rethink hopes for Iraq democracy

The Airbus A380 also had problems when it started flying in 2007, but aviation expert Janet Bednarek loves to fly on it.

CNN: Dreamliner safety review: What it means for fliers

"It had cracks in the wing, which would be much more concerning to me" than the 787 reports, said Bednarek, a University of Dayton aviation history professor.

CNN: Dreamliner safety review: What it means for fliers