Bulletin Provides Guidance on Finding, Reporting Tampered ARC Documentation

The FAA issues a Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin regarding the possible usage of engine and APU components sourced from AOG Technics, a recently disgraced vendor that had misrepresented its wares.

The FAA issued a handful of recommendations, mostly aimed at determining the presence and validity of any equipment that passed through AOG Technics hands. When identified, the FAA wants operators to ascertain the validity of the parts' accompanying ARC documentation, a piece that was apparently falsified by AOG Technics in their bid to undercut competition. The actual parts reputedly varied in quality, ranging from used and worn but genuine OEM equipment to parts of an apparently unknown pedigree altogether.

"If parts were handled by AOG Technics and are installed on engines or airplanes, confirmation of the validity of the ARC should be sought from the originator of the ARC. "Purported originators of the ARCs should examine any returned ARCs for signs of tampering and falsification. If a form claiming to be issued by you is not your original document and shows signs of tampering and forgery, you should report as soon as possible to the operator requesting verification, your local airworthiness authority, and the airworthiness authority who has granted you authority for issuing ARCs."

If a "forged or tampered ARC is discovered for parts installed in your fleet and a legitimate source for the parts cannot be positively identified and legitimate ARCs obtained," the FAA continued, "operators should develop a plan to remove those parts as soon as reasonably practical in accordance with their Safety Management System (SMS) principles and procedures." The parts can be triaged thereafter, with more critical parts removed with greater timeliness.

Thankfully no critical parts have been found with a forged or tampered ARC...should one be discovered, then the AOG Technics affair could quickly become a lot more costly for all affected. A forged ARC tied to critical parts would make carriers fall afoul of CFR 91.403, meaning each piece would have to be removed from service before further flight.

FMI: www.faa.gov