Manufacturing partners General Electric Co. and Safran SA have been assisting in the probe of allegedly faked certification documents and unapproved parts for CFM56 engines that were distributed by London-based AOG Technics Ltd., according to the companies, public regulatory filings and letters to operators viewed by Bloomberg.
It’s unclear how many fake parts may have been installed or how many aircraft might be affected. The CFM56, the world’s best-selling jet engine, is installed on thousands of narrow-body planes that are a staple of the global fleet. The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority said in an Aug. 4 safety notice that it was investigating “a large number of Suspect Unapproved Parts” supplied through AOG Technics. Some components with false airworthiness release certificates were found on engines fitted to aircraft registered in the UK, the filing said.
AOG Technics didn’t respond to calls and messages from Bloomberg. Its website describes the company as a “leading global aircraft support provider” and a source of new and “serviceable” parts for a variety of engines that power 737 and A320 models. The company said it had warehouse operations in London, Frankfurt, Miami and Singapore.
Three days later, GE sent a separate “All Operators Wire” to CF6 customers and maintenance shops, alerting them to “a recently identified falsified certification document” related to the sale of several CF6 engine parts with the same part number. The information was shared “as a precaution while GE and FAA investigations progress,” the letter said.