by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:20 AM ET, Fri October 6, 2023
A major airplane engine manufacturer has filed a lawsuit after several airlines in the United States discovered that parts installed on their jet engines had forged safety certificates.
According to Fox Business, officials from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines all found parts in their engines that came from AOG Technics, with only a small number of issues detected, specifically on planes with the CFM56 turbines.
The impacted parts include compressor stator vane seals and low-pressure turbine blades.
“Delta has been informed by one of our engine service providers that a small number of engines they overhauled for us contain certain parts that do not meet documentation requirements,” a Delta spokesperson told Fox Business. “Working with the overhaul provider, we are in the process of replacing those parts and remain in compliance with all FAA guidelines because safety is always our priority.”
AOG Technics, a London-based supplier that sells parts to maintenance and repair organizations, is being sued by General Electric and engine partner Safran, as unapproved parts have been found on 126 engines so far.
The lawsuit filed by the engine manufacturer claims AOG Technics falsified documents in order to sell commercial airline engine parts to carriers in the U.S., with companies only finding out about the issue in June.
“As we investigated this matter, we learned that compressor stator vane seals from this supplier had been installed on a single engine on each of two aircraft, including one that was already undergoing routine maintenance,” United told Fox Business. “We are replacing the affected engines on both aircraft before they are returned to service, and we’ll continue to investigate as new information becomes available from our suppliers.”
AOG Technics did not respond to a request for comment.
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