" Musk isn't some random dude. Between SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity, he probably knows a thing or two about putting large things in the air and electric batteries."
No doubt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing engineers know a thing or two or three or four about putting large things in the air and electric batteries, but this is a specific and unfortunate problem. Inviting a few twitting strangers (competitors too) out of the blue, unless they have a specific tip, maybe isn't the way to go. If Elon knew the problem, he'd get 100 times better press by telling them.