Safran in dark about magnitude of fake jet-engine parts case

French aerospace supplier Safran SA said it can’t quantify the magnitude of a widening scandal involving suspect unapproved parts on one of its engines, potentially complicating the investigation into components with falsified certificates that found their way onto the world’s most widely flown power plant. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Safran CEO Olivier Andries said the aircraft parts industry is an “open market.” His company had no prior relationship with London-based AOG Technics Ltd., the supplier at the heart of the case, until it was alerted by an airline, the CEO said, adding that about 100 engines have been identified as having questionable parts. “We don’t know who they sold those parts to and whether all airlines have done their checks,” Andries said in Paris. “I can’t tell you what I don’t know.” Andries’s comments come shortly after the US Federal Aviation Administration warned airlines and other industry players that AOG improperly sold parts for a longstanding type of jet engine from CFM International Inc., the joint venture of General Electric Co. and Safran that makes engines for many older-generation Airbus SE A320 and Boeing 737 aircraft. The alert, known as an Unapproved Parts Notification, is the first formal warning to the US aviation sector over potential risks posed by thousands of spare jet-engine parts sold with forged airworthiness documentation by AOG. European regulators had previously warned about forged parts from the UK company. The Safran CEO said they were alerted a few weeks ago by an aircraft operator, who inquired about a part that looked to have a suspect origin. AOG Technics also improperly sold bushings for GE’s CF6 engine family without the jet-engine manufacturer’s approval, distributing parts with falsified documents, according to the FAA notice. The engine has been used on a number of wide-body jets, including older versions of Boeing Co.’s 747 jumbo jet.<br/>