Manufacturers, suppliers, and operators have teamed up in a formal effort to develop better safeguards against unapproved parts from entering the commercial aviation supply chain.
The Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition (ASCIC) is starting with a 90-day review of current supply chain operations, it said in a Feb. 22 news release. Anchored by representatives from Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, GE Aerospace, Safran, StandardAero, and United Airlines, the group plans to write a “comprehensive” report with recommendations to prevent parts from circulating without proper approvals.
ASCIC’s formation stems from last fall’s scheme that saw AOG Technics, which billed itself as a parts broker, sell thousands of parts with falsified records. The parts, mostly for CFM56-series products, were bought by several operators and maintenance providers and made their way onto in-service engines.
Quick work by affected stakeholders—notably several MRO shops that flagged the questionable paperwork as well as CFM and its co-owners GE Aerospace and Safran, who promptly alerted customers—seemingly helped limit the parts’ distribution. But the scenario was alarming enough to prompt industry to take a closer look at the issue.
“While an extensive review found that less than one percent of CFM engines were affected and most parts involved were non-serialized items like bolts, washers, and bushings, the coalition will take a broader look at preventing future similar actions,” ASCIC said.
Robert Sumwalt, executive director for Embry Riddle’s Boeing Center for Aviation and Aerospace Safety and a former NTSB chair, and former U.S. Transportation Department Deputy Secretary John Porcari will serve as the group’s co-chairs. The group says it plans to have a final report by year-end.
While many in the industry believe current parts-procurement processes are strong, some see opportunities in improving parts tracing. The benefits extend beyond simply validating parts are airworthy and into areas such as making asset transfers less time-consuming.
