The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened an inquiry after discovering titanium used to manufacture some Boeing and Airbus jets was verified using false or incorrect authenticity records.
Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages for Boeing and wings for Airbus, also is investigating the records after a parts supplier found small holes in the titanium from corrosion.
The issue raises concerns about the durability of jets manufactured with the tainted metal.
In a statement to The Epoch Times, the FAA said it is investigating the scope and impact of the issue through the agency’s Continued Operation Safety process.
The agency said Boeing reported a “voluntary disclosure” to the FAA about a material it had procured from a distributor that may have “falsified or provided incorrect records.”
“Boeing issued a bulletin outlining ways suppliers should remain alert to the potential of falsified records,” the FAA added.
Spirit spokesman Joe Buccino told The Epoch Times that the investigation concerns titanium that entered the supply chain with counterfeit documents.
“When this was identified, all suspect parts were quarantined and removed from Spirit production,” he said.
Mr. Buccino added that Spirit conducted more than 1,000 tests to confirm the “mechanical and metallurgical properties of the affected material to ensure continued airworthiness.”
The counterfeit titanium was used on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s passenger entry door, cargo doors, and a component that joins the engines to the plane’s airframe.
It was also used on the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A220 for a heat shield that protects a part that connects the jet’s engine to the body.
Titanium is often used in manufacturing airplane landing gear, blades, and turbine discs.
Boeing told The Epoch Times that the “industry-wide issue affects some shipments of titanium received by a limited set of suppliers,” but tests have indicated that the “correct titanium alloy was used.”
“To ensure compliance, we are removing any affected parts on airplanes prior to delivery,” Boeing added.
Boeing said an analysis indicated that the company’s in-service fleet can “continue to fly safely” and that the issue only affects a small number of components on specific Boeing aircraft.
Boeing said it buys most of its titanium for jet production directly from a supply chain that’s unaffected by counterfeit metal.
An Airbus spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the company knows of the situation and has performed “numerous tests” on the parts from the same supply source.
The tests indicated that the airworthiness of Airbus’s A220 jet “remains intact.”
“The safety and quality of our aircraft are our most important priorities, and we are working in close collaboration with our supplier,” the spokesperson said.
Boeing and Airbus were met with strong demand for new jets after a surge in travel following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw a short period of downturn for the aviation industry.
Issues with the supply chain and component shortages have affected the companies’ ability to meet the demand for new planes.
Boeing is also affected by the FAA’s production cap on its popular 737 Max, which the agency instituted in February after the Jan. 5 Alaskan Airlines incident.
A door panel blew off a newly manufactured 737 Max 9 right after takeoff, prompting investigations from the FAA and Justice Department.
The FAA gave Boeing 90 days to submit a comprehensive plan to improve safety and quality assurance in its airplane manufacturing, which it submitted to the agency on May 30.
CEO Dave Calhoun is set to testify before the U.S. Senate on the company’s safety issues on June 18.
Boeing had been given until Jan. 7, 2024, to comply with the agency’s demands, only for the Alaska Airlines incident to happen two days before the deadline.
The Justice Department announced on May 14 that it had determined Boeing breached the agreement. The company rejected the claim.
The government will announce its intentions with potential criminal charges for Boeing no later than July 7.
