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Counterfeit titanium has been discovered in multiple aircraft from Boeing and Airbus, and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has immediately launched an extensive investigation into this crucial issue. Boeing and the part manufacturers are also involved in the investigation.
Spirit AeroSystems, the manufacturer, is the company that delivers the fuselages (the main body of the aircraft) to Boeing and Airbus, and it is currently investigating the forged documents that were used to pass the questionable titanium as intact. Spirit bought the titanium and later supplied it to Boeing and Airbus, who used it in Boeing 737 Max, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and Airbus A220 aircraft made between 2019 and 2023.
According to the research so far, it shows that Turkish Aerospace Industries actually purchased the falsely documented titanium in 2019 from a small Chinese company (which is still unknown) before selling it to Spirit AeroSystems, who then built it into Boeing and Airbus planes. It was discovered after Italy's Titanium International Group, another buyer of the questionable titanium from Turkish Aerospace Industries, spotted unusual corrosion on it, and that sparked the inquiry into the metal.
Unfortunately, almost no information is known right now. It is still unclear whether the problematic titanium may pose a risk to the planes which were built using it, how many planes were built with the metal, which airlines they belong to, or the supplier of the falsely documented titanium. They also don't know if it will even need to be removed or not -- it could meet safety regulations despite its fake documents -- but Spirit is working on a plan to replace the parts in all of the aircraft containing them if needed. However, all of Boeing and Airbus' tests so far show that the titanium alloy is completely safe, so travelers have no need to worry (for now).
Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Queen Elizabeth I found the tricycle fascinating when she first saw it in 1881, and she actually had the inventor personally deliver two of them to Buckingham Palace.
Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The richest and fullest lives attempt to achieve an inner balance between three realms: work, love and play. (Erik Erikson)
Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Rebuff (verb) - To rebuff something, such as an offer or suggestion, is to reject or criticize it sharply. One can also rebuff a person by rudely rejecting or refusing them.
In a Sentence: When their request was immediately rebuffed by upper management, the staff was left frustrated yet also more determined.
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