MAYDAY

Boeing Tricked Into Using Fake Metals in New Jets

The counterfeit titanium parts were discovered to have small holes from corrosion.

Boeing and Airbus are facing yet more turbulence after a parts supplier discovered they’d had been tricked into buying counterfeit titanium for use in recently built aircraft. The Federal Aviation Authority said Friday it was investigating the matter after Boeing flagged that components made from titanium had been sold using fake documentation. Spirit AeroSystems, which supplies fuselages for Boeing and wings for Airbus, noticed the issue when workers found small holes in the titanium from corrosion. The company said it’s trying to figure out where the titanium came from and whether it’s still structurally sound enough to be used in jets. The questionable titanium has been used in a variety of aircraft parts, including 787 Dreamliner passenger entry doors, cargo doors, and components conmecting engines to mainframes. It’s also used on heat shields for the Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A220. Boeing and other aircraft companies have suffered a string of recent safety blunders, including a door panel blowing off a 737 Max 9 jet mid-flight.