A GE Aerospace-led research group has released recommendations aimed at preventing unapproved engine components from entering the supply chain.
Published on 9 October, the recommendations for voluntary actions come in response to the sale of unapproved components in recent years by UK-supplier AOG Technics – an incident that prompted high-profile investigations.
Engines made by CFM International – jointly owned by GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines – had been particularly affected, reporting that dozens of CFM56s contained parts supplied by AOG Technics that may have had falsified documentation.
GE formed the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition in February with the goal of tackling the problem of unapproved parts. The other coalition members are Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, Safran, maintenance firm StandardAero and United Airlines.
“The actions that we are calling for are voluntary actions that industry can take now. They supplement any efforts by regulatory authorities,” says coalition co-chair and former National Transportation Safety Board chair Robert Sumwalt.
“These recommendations will close holes and add new layers of safety to strengthen the integrity of the supply chain,” he adds.
The report urges airlines and maintenance shops to only source engine components from suppliers accredited under a voluntary FAA programme or under EASA standards. It also calls for industry to establish a new entity to oversee suppliers, and for the formation of a database of accredited vendors.
Other recommendations include greater use of digital parts documents and establishment of industry-wide documentation standards. Additionally, the coalition urges that technicians be better trained to identify unapproved parts, and calls for improved tracking to ensure discarded parts do not return to the supply chain.
