The first airline to report a faulty bushing engine part supplied by AOG Technics was TAP Air Portugal at the beginning of this summer. Their technicians noticed the engine bushings installed on their CFM56 engine were significantly worn out even though documentation indicated the parts were new.
Upon further investigation, this revealed the shocking fake documentation by AOG Technics which led to the FAA discovering it had not approved the part. This eventually resulted in early fall with the issuance by the FAA of an Unapproved Parts Notification (UPN) on September 21, 2023.
AOG Technics is fairly new to the MRO (Maintence, Repair, and Overhaul) industry in aviation, commencing its broker business just 8 years ago in 2015 in the UK. The aircraft engine part that came under investigation is often seen in Boeing 737s and Airbus SE A320s. This part is used in the CFM International CFM56 engine, the world’s leading aircraft engine in sales.
The London High Court ruled that AOG Technics must provide a record of its supplier transactions on the CFM 56 and CF6 parts.
AOG has gone silent with no response yet.
MROs make sure that aircraft carrying passengers and cargo across the globe are air worthy, and that assurance counts on the reliability of the parts used to keep these big metal birds in the air. Everything from routine maintenance; to preventive inspections; to repairs and major overhauls of engines, avionics, airframes, landing gear, and other aircraft systems falls under the realm of the MRO.
All kinds of alarms are now sounding in aviation on the safety and authenticity of aircraft parts and supplies. From airlines to passengers, the potential for dangerous implications is sending shockwaves through the aviation industry.
In all likelihood, more stringent compliance and regulatory measures are on the near horizon with greater transparency of the supply chain coming under the microscope. MRO companies are critical to the reliability of safe aircraft in the skies.
