Posted on 10/05/2023 1:30:13 AM PDT by Libloather
The aviation industry has been rocked by reports thousands of jet-engine parts with fraudulent safety certificates have been installed onto passenger planes.
Major airlines including American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines have pulled jets from their fleets as investigations into the potentially catastrophic faults are ongoing.
The scandal has zeroed in on a dubious airplane parts supplier named AOG Technics, which allegedly mass-produced fake safety certificates in order to sell its engine parts to airlines.
AOG Technics has also faced allegations it faked employees and was using stock photographs for fictitious staffers on LinkedIn, according to Bloomberg. Attempts to contact the company were unsuccessful.
With parts from the problematic company so far found in 126 engines across several airlines, questions are being raised over the effectiveness of the aviation industry's safety oversight measures.
Airline parts are supposed to undergo stringent safety tests to ensure they are 'airworthy', with each part coming with a certificate that can be used to trace the component's origins and inspection records.
But the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as investigators in Europe, have alleged that AOG Technics forged its documentation, an issue with potentially disastrous consequences in the event of a faulty part.
The most affected engine model was found to be a CFM56, which alarmingly holds the record for most engines ever sold to airlines at over 33,900.
It is currently installed in numerous jets across the world, most notably Boeing's predecessor to the 737 MAX and the initial version of the Airbus A320.
Both jets are extremely common in flights across the world each day.
The affected engine parts vary from small components such as screws and bolts to units vital for the propulsion of a jet, such as turbine blades.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
FRAUD! It’s EVERYWHERE!
This scandal is very hard to believe.
There would have to be several corporate layers of financial and engineering executives who would have to sign off on these parts, knowing they are bogus, or, at least suspecting they are bogus.
Every one of those executives would realize that if a plane went down on their watch, they would spend the rest of their lives in a maximum security prison.
Would two or three executives be willing to take that risk?
Maybe.
Would a dozen executives take that risk?
No freaking way.
What could go wrong?
Ehrrrhh .... that didn’t come out the way I meant. /LOL
Yes the quality assurance department closed until further notice.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Although a bit different scenario, this reminds me of Heinlein’s “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress”. No one suspects that the computer itself is dishonest...
#6 I remember some aircraft crash where it turned out a bolt slightly smaller was used as a replacement. It was not fake but some mechanic went to the parts dept and was in a hurry and grabbed the wrong size. It vibrated loose and started a chain of destruction.
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