Summary
- American Airlines joins other carriers in removing aircraft from service due to false safety documents for parts fitted to engines.
- CFM, the manufacturer of the CFM56 engine, applauds the court ruling for AOG Technics to release documentation aiding the identification of fraudulent parts.
- Airlines are focused on ensuring customers’ safety by removing potentially at-risk parts from their supply chains and replacing them.
More airlines are coming forward to report fake parts in their CFM engines. American Airlines has become the latest casualty of the scandal surrounding AOG Technics regarding false documents for parts fitted to engines operated on Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reiterated that the documents provided were falsified and, earlier this month, it issued an unapproved parts notification (UPN) for the parts supplied by AOG without approval. The FAA said,
“If these bushings are installed or found in existing aircraft parts inventories, the FAA recommends that they be removed and quarantined to prevent installation until a determination can be made regarding their eligibility for installation.”
Photo: Davidi Vardi / Shutterstock
One of the best-selling aircraft engines
Widely reported as one of the best-selling engines for the aircraft types mentioned above, the CFM engine range is a 50/50 joint venture between Safran Aircraft Engines of France and GE Aerospace of the United States.
To make the partnership work, GE Aerospace is responsible for producing the compressors, combustors, and overall high-pressure turbine, while Safran is in charge of the fan, exhaust, gearbox, and the low-pressure turbine, in addition to further parts coming from Avio (Italy), and Honeywell (US).
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Last week, in the High Court in London, CFM argued for AOG Technics to release information on sales for the CFM56 and CF6 variant parts. As reported by Aerotime, CFM noted:
“We applaud the court’s ruling compelling AOG Technics to release documentation that will aid the industry in more rapidly identifying parts sold with fraudulent documentation so they can be promptly addressed.”
Supply chain challenges
Safran Aircraft Engines has reported thus far that they believe around 100 engines have at-risk parts. As airlines around the world are just coming to terms with issues due to the supply chain of parts and new aircraft, the manufacturer reiterated its focus on safety for customers:
“Safety is our priority, and we are taking aggressive legal action against AOG Technics for selling unapproved aircraft engine parts with falsified airworthiness documentation. We remain united with the aviation community in working to keep unapproved parts out of the global supply chain.”
American Airlines isn’t the only one
As soon as the American carrier became aware of the concerning parts, several of its aircraft were removed from service. It joins the list of other airlines, including as Virgin Australia, TAP Portugal, United Airlines, and Southwest, that are awaiting replacement parts.
Photo: Elena Nikou / Shutterstock
Of course, aviation authorities across the globe are vigilant and issuing advisories. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has also reminded carriers to check over documents to clarify if parts have the potential to be sourced from AOG Technics and act appropriately.
What does this mean for passengers?
While the scandal’s scope remains unclear, airlines look to take appropriate action in removing aircraft from service to ensure all parts meet industry requirements. Should your flight be affected, the airline should make contact with alternative travel arrangements.
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Sources: Aerotime