In the latest airline scare, United Airlines dropped a bombshell on September 18th, saying it's found counterfeit parts in the engines of two of its planes. And guess what? United isn't alone in this. Southwest Airlines and Virgin Australia have run into the same issue, all getting parts from a dodgy manufacturer.
What's Going On with United's Planes?
United came clean about finding these fake parts in one engine on two different planes. They're not messing around either—those engines are getting replaced before the planes take to the skies again. The airline's being a bit coy, though; they haven't said which specific types of aircraft are affected. The parts we're talking about here are seals on something called "compressor stator vanes." These seals are crucial; they guide the airflow through the engine.
Who's Behind These Shady Parts?
The main culprit seems to be a company called AOG Technics Ltd. They've been supplying spare parts for older engines made by CFM International Inc., specifically the CFM56 engine. If you're into planes, you'll know these engines are commonly found on Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s.
Regulatory bodies are saying AOG did this knowingly and even provided fake paperwork to back it up. AOG has been tied to 50 different part numbers on the CFM56 engine alone. According to CFM, these suspect parts have been used in 68 of their engines globally.
CFM told Bloomberg, "Safety is our top concern. We're going full throttle on legal action against AOG Technics. We want to speed up the process of identifying any parts with fake paperwork."
What's Being Done About It?
CFM is on the hunt for more documents that might reveal other faulty engine parts. Meanwhile, European regulators are saying this is definitely worrisome, although, thankfully, no accidents or issues have been directly linked to these fake parts so far.
Let’s Link on my Social Media
SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM
Your assistance enables us to produce high-quality, independent, open, and transparent media. No matter how little, every reader's contribution is vital for the future Thanks.
EU Plane Spotters brings you high-quality aviation videos and LIVE steam. visit our social media platforms Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & TikTok for more content.
