Exploring potential lower-grade titanium in Airbus and Boeing planes

The American Aviation Authority (FAA) is currently investigating titanium that may have been used in aircraft parts manufactured by Airbus and Boeing with falsified certificates. The titanium in question is said to have come from China and was used in parts produced by American supplier Spirit AeroSystems. According to a spokesperson from Spirit, the material entered the supply chain through falsified documents and was later removed from production when the issue was discovered.

The problem was initially identified when a parts supplier found small rust holes in the metal, as reported by The New York Times. The titanium was allegedly sourced from an unidentified Chinese supplier who used false documents to pass off the material as coming from a reputable source in China.

Boeing voluntarily disclosed to the FAA that it had received material through a distributor that may have used falsified documents. The FAA is currently investigating the extent of the issue and its potential consequences.

The aviation industry has been working to curb the influx of non-certified parts into the supply chain. Last year, a scandal erupted over a British company supplying aircraft engine parts with forged certificates. In response, an ‘Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition’ was established, comprised of representatives from Airbus and Boeing, to address these issues and make recommendations for improvement by the fall.