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FAA Flags Unapproved Titanium in Boeing 787 Ram Air Turbines
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking regulatory action after discovering that some Boeing 787 Dreamliner ram air turbine (RAT) fittings may have been manufactured using unapproved and potentially inferior titanium. Boeing assembles the 787 series at its facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. (airguide.info) More...
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Any source of inferior materials of any sort is a concern in any industry or field. Many years ago, the Chinese were accused of dumping boat loads of inferior steel brake rotors into the US market at rock bottom prices undercutting other sources of such, and were fined for dumping said brake rotors in said markets.
It would not surprise me that they were selling inferior titanium to aircraft parts manufacturers.
It would not surprise me that they were selling inferior titanium to aircraft parts manufacturers.
I bought 2 new brake rotors for my E-150. Both were warped out of the box. Both made in China.
A good part of this discussion is totally uninformed beliefs. Not very useful. As a scientist, I check and recheck my data sources before I speak. Political statements and inuendo are not very useful in an engineering environment. Shut up.
I have a low opinion of people thanks to their comments on politics.
This is a forum about aviation, not politics yet people from both sides manage to inject their views in these forums.
This is a forum about aviation, not politics yet people from both sides manage to inject their views in these forums.
A valid point Bill but both Airbus and Boeing are using Titanium from China because Russian sources (one of the largest) are no longer available because of sanctions imposed after their invasion of Ukraine. Chinese suppliers are, as we know, often alleged to have supplied goods that fall short of the promised specification.
President Trump's tariff wars have also increased uncertainty across the globe and there are still questions regarding US/Chinese trade agreements/tariffs.
All of this uncertainty has a direct impact on the aviation industry and, very unfortunately, like it or not, politics and aviation would now appear to be intrinsically linked.
President Trump's tariff wars have also increased uncertainty across the globe and there are still questions regarding US/Chinese trade agreements/tariffs.
All of this uncertainty has a direct impact on the aviation industry and, very unfortunately, like it or not, politics and aviation would now appear to be intrinsically linked.
Unfortunately, what happens in aviation is, in large part, controlled by politics.
Agree I have a low opinion of idiots
Lets keep the MAGATz happy and keep things on the the subject of aviation
Have at it Bill and Steve
Trump accepts jet from Qatar, will refit to serve as Air Force One, DOD says
President Donald Trump moves forward with controversial plane donation despite concerns over security and constitutional issues
By Morgan Phillips Fox News
Published May 21, 2025
rump ally Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has said the plane poses "significant espionage and surveillance problems," while liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declared, "Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional."
"Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I'm worried about is the safety of the president," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters last week.
MAGA
Malfeasant Awhole Griting America
"no amount of evidence will persuadean Idiot" Mark Twain
Lets keep the MAGATz happy and keep things on the the subject of aviation
Have at it Bill and Steve
Trump accepts jet from Qatar, will refit to serve as Air Force One, DOD says
President Donald Trump moves forward with controversial plane donation despite concerns over security and constitutional issues
By Morgan Phillips Fox News
Published May 21, 2025
rump ally Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has said the plane poses "significant espionage and surveillance problems," while liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., declared, "Trump cannot accept a $400 million flying palace from the royal family of Qatar. Not only is this farcically corrupt, it is blatantly unconstitutional."
"Qatar is not, in my opinion, a great ally. I mean, they support Hamas. So what I'm worried about is the safety of the president," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters last week.
MAGA
Malfeasant Awhole Griting America
"no amount of evidence will persuadean Idiot" Mark Twain
However, in this case, the post gives us more information, specifically:
"the suspect material is either Grade 1 or Grade 2 commercially pure titanium, which offers significantly less strength, fatigue resistance, and damage tolerance than the Grade 5 Ti-6Al-4V alloy originally specified".
"Commercially pure titanium" is at least 99% pure Titanium.
"Grade 5 Ti-6Al-4V" is about 94% Titanium, 6% Aluminum, and 4% Vanadium.
(You see the alloy composition in the name.)
These are two very different metals.
For a reliable, readable summary of the relevant metallurgy, start here :
https://titanium-gateway.com/vanliga-fragor/what-is-pure-titanium
For completeness I note that this is a website of a Swedish Company; I find it to be accurate.
[I have two artificial shoulders. The implants are stainless steel coated with a plasma spray of "commercially pure titanium". It has excellent corrosion resistance, and is biologically essentially inert, but it is not high strength, and not suitable for use in an aerospace structure.]