United finds fake parts in plane engines

United Airlines has discovered suspicious parts in two aircraft engines, and counterfeit parts from supplier AOG Technics have been discovered globally.

A United spokesman said Monday that the parts were found in an engine on two planes, one of which was undergoing routine maintenance. He said the Chicago-based airline was replacing the engines before the plane could resume flying.

United discovered the parts based on new information provided by the supplier and will continue to investigate as more details become available, the company said. These parts are seals on the compressor stator blades and help direct airflow inside the engine. United did not immediately disclose what type of aircraft the engines were powering.

The company’s disclosure makes it the latest major airline, including Southwest Airlines and Virgin Australia, to confirm that questionable parts from AOG have been installed in their fleets. Aviation regulators say AOG supplied an unknown number of jet engine spare parts that were backed by falsified airworthiness documents, sparking a global effort by the industry to find more parts.

CFM International, a joint venture between GE and Safran that makes engines for many older-generation Airbus SE A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft, previously said parts with fraudulent documentation were used in 68 of its power plants.

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