There might be a supplier scandal growing in the aviation industry.
Southwest Airlines confirmed that it was the first major airline to pull – literally pull out – a part from one of its airline engines.
The part could have been a fake.
Southwest said it decided to err on the side of caution in removing the part. By admitting it removed the part, Southwest became the first major airline to also admit it was using a questionable part.
In a statement last week, Southwest would only say it found “suspect parts” after it conducted an inspection.
The questionable part was found in a Boeing 737 NG, one of the most popular models of airplanes in use in the industry.
But this is not a Boeing issue.
This is an issue that must be resolved by a company called AOG Technics. The part in question is a pair of low-pressure turbine blades.
The timing of the possible scandal comes barely a month after the Federal Aviation Administration called an emergency meeting at nearly 100 airports to discuss the problem of near-misses between planes on the runway and in the air.
AOG could not be reached for comment.
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