FAA probing titanium on some Boeing and Airbus jets

WASHINGTON

U.S. air regulators are investigating whether there are safety risks after titanium with counterfeit authentication wound up on commercial jets, officials have said.

Jets delivered to airlines by both Airbus and Boeing contain the titanium, which appears to be originally sourced from a Chinese company where an employee forged details on certificates, according to a New York Times report

Industry officials said that based on testing of the titanium, they do not believe the issue poses an immediate safety risk on planes in service.

The issue comes amid heightened scrutiny of the aerospace industry following recent manufacturing and safety issues at Boeing.

"Boeing reported a voluntary disclosure to the FAA regarding procurement of material through a distributor who may have falsified or provided incorrect records," a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.

"The FAA is investigating the scope and impact of the issue through our Continued Operational Safety process."

The Times said the titanium in question ended up on Boeing 737 and 787 Dreamliner jets and the Airbus A220. The planes were built between 2019 and 2023, the Times said, adding that it not clear how many planes are affected or who owns them.

Spirit AeroSystems, which builds fuselages and other significant parts for both Airbus and Boeing, believes the issue stems from a single batch of titanium that entered the supply chain through approved suppliers, said Spirit spokesman Joe Buccino.

Boeing said it will remove the titanium on undelivered planes in light of the issue. Planes in service "can continue to fly safely," the company said.