Virgin Australia Grounds Aircraft Over Unauthorized Engine Parts Discovery
Virgin Australia has temporarily taken two of its aircraft out of service after discovering that their engines were equipped with unauthorized components. These affected aircraft are part of Virgin’s fleet of Boeing 737-800s, primarily used for domestic routes connecting cities like Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.
The airline became aware of this issue when it was alerted to falsified certification documents for aircraft parts sourced from British-based supplier AOG Technics, as initially reported by Bloomberg. AOG Technics provides engine components for many Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s, two of the most widely used commercial aircraft globally.
Virgin Australia promptly replaced a low-pressure turbine blade on VH-VUT, one of its Boeing 737-800s, after discovering the false documentation. While initially believing VH-VUT was the sole affected aircraft, the airline subsequently identified another unauthorized part on a different 737-800 aircraft during the weekend. An unapproved seal on an inner high-pressure turbine nozzle on VH-YFR is currently being replaced, with the aircraft undergoing maintenance in Brisbane for the part’s removal.
A spokesperson from Virgin emphasized that safety remains the airline’s highest priority, and they maintain rigorous maintenance standards to ensure safety compliance.
Virgin Australia is the latest airline to be ensnared in the false-certification controversy that has recently plagued AOG Technics. US carrier Southwest Airlines also reported removing two questionable parts from one of its Boeing 737s this month. CFM International, the world’s largest jet engine manufacturer, initiated legal action against AOG in the UK, alleging that 68 of its aircraft engines were installed with falsely certified components. CFM is a partnership between General Electric Aerospace and Safran and identified 50 different part numbers allegedly affected in its CFM56 engines, which power older Airbus A320s and Boeing 737 NGs.
The AOG documentation indicates these parts are new, but CFM asserts that their technicians have confirmed them as used. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has determined that the parts were provided with counterfeit authorization release certificates, critical documents that confirm the safety of aircraft parts for flight.
Qantas and Regional Express, which operate Boeing 737-800s, have confirmed that their respective fleets are not affected by these unauthorized parts. Qantas also flies a mix of A320s and A321s, which have been verified as unaffected.
Rex confirmed it was alerted to the potential issue on August 12 and conducted an internal investigation, concluding that its aircraft do not contain false parts.
Australia’s fourth domestic airline, Bonza, exclusively operates Boeing’s newer model of 737s, the Boeing 737 Max-8, which is unaffected by this issue. The Boeing 737 Max-8 was grounded worldwide for two years following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. It was cleared to resume service in 2020 and is currently utilized by 60 airlines globally, including Bonza and Virgin.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, smh.com.au