FAA investigating counterfeit titanium used on some Boeing and Airbus planes | Boeing

The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating forged documents that were used to verify the authenticity of titanium used in some newly manufactured Boeing and Airbus planes, the New York Times reports. mentioned Friday.

The documents are also being investigated by Spirit AeroSystems, which supplies Boeing planes and wings to Airbus, according to the report.

Titanium, an important element in the aviation supply chain, is used to make landing gear, blades and turbine disks for aircraft.

The FAA is investigating the scope of the problem and trying to determine the short- and long-term safety impacts on planes equipped with these parts, the Times reported, citing a statement from the regulator.

The report added that the investigation comes after a spare parts supplier discovered small holes in the material used in aircraft manufacturing due to corrosion.

Aircraft manufacturers are facing strong demand for new planes due to increased travel after the pandemic. However, supply chain issues and component shortages limit their ability to meet this demand.

Last year, jet engine manufacturer CFM International a statement That thousands of its engine components may have been sold under false documents by a British distributor.

This discovery prompted airlines to change parts in a small number of aircraft.

The FAA, Boeing, Airbus and Spirit did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.