OIG Says Substandard Parts Allowed Into US Planes
Boeing promises a serious review of
a new report from the US Department of Transportations Office of
the Inspector General, which claims poor FAA oversight of foreign
manufacturers continues to allow substandard parts to find their
way into US airliners.
According to The Washington Post, the report was made public by
the Project on Government Oversight, a nonprofit organization that
focuses on government accountability. The OIG charges the FAA's new
records-review-based oversight model is missing problems which
would be obvious if actual on-site inspections were conducted at
foreign parts suppliers.
"Neither manufacturers nor FAA inspectors have provided
effective oversight of suppliers; this has allowed substandard
parts to enter the aviation supply chain," reads the report, dated
February 26. "The nature and number of discrepancies found at
suppliers we visited would not have been identified through records
reviews only... For example, a supplier of fuel system parts for a
major manufacturer had no record of the manufacturer ever
completing an on-site audit of their facility. We found numerous
deficiencies at this facility, including problems with the
calibration program, employee training and product inspection."
The OIG notes four engine failures in 2003, that were traced to
"unapproved design changes made by a . . . supplier" of engine fuel
pump sensors. The report goes on to specifically mention
concerns raised by Boeing's widespread international sourcing of
parts and subassemblies for the upcoming 787 Dreamliner.
The OIG states the FAA needs to immediately review its own
procedures and guidelines... and make the necessary changes.
"We found that FAA's risk-based oversight system for suppliers
needs improvement as it does not consider the degree to which
manufacturers now use suppliers to make aviation products," the OIG
report states. "Specifically, (1) FAA has not ensured that
manufacturers are providing oversight of their suppliers, (2) FAA
does not require inspectors to perform enough audits of suppliers
to determine how well manufacturers' quality assurance systems are
working, and (3) the systemic deficiencies we identified at 21
supplier facilities indicate that both manufacturers and FAA need
to strengthen their oversight of these facilities."
Downplaying the ominous undertones of the OIG report, the
FAA stressed "there are absolutely no imminent safety issues raised
by the report," according to agency spokeswoman Alison
Duquette.
As with many products in today's highly globalized world, there
isn't really such a thing as an "American" or "European" commercial
airliner anymore. Aerospace companies contract with firms all
over the world to supply parts for their planes, as labor costs are
often much cheaper in countries such as China, Japan, Brazil, and
Italy. Such outsourcing also allows the manufacturer to trim its
own overhead costs.
Given the report's potential impact to its most
highly-anticipated new aircraft program, Boeing took particular
interest in the OIG's findings. The report notes of 17 major
structures on the Dreamliner, 13 are to be produced at
least in part by overseas companies.
"Oversight is really important in maintaining a high-quality
supply system," said spokeswoman Liz Verdier. "We're reviewing the
report, and then certainly if it's necessary to make changes to our
process, we'll make changes."