FAA raises safety concern over substandard titanium in select Boeing 787 Dreamliners

The agency plans to require inspections using high-frequency eddy current or handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometers to determine whether affected aircraft contain the suspect titanium alloy. If substandard materials are found, operators would need to replace them with approved alloys.

If adopted, the directive would affect nine US-registered Boeing 787s. A standard inspection is expected to take about three hours at a cost of $255 per aircraft. More extensive inspections and replacements could exceed $30,500 per plane. However, it remains unclear how many aircraft might require these additional procedures. Boeing has indicated that warranty coverage may offset some or all of these costs for operators.

This development comes amid ongoing concerns about global titanium supply chains. Industry sources believe that the problematic titanium originated in China and was distributed by Spirit AeroSystems after sanctions limited access to Russian-sourced aerospace-grade titanium—a key supplier before recent geopolitical changes. Last year, the FAA also investigated potentially counterfeit titanium used in both Airbus and Boeing jets as part of broader scrutiny over component sourcing.

Boeing issued an Alert Requirements Bulletin on February 24, 2025, outlining inspection procedures for RAT forward fittings on affected Dreamliners assembled at its North Charleston facility in South Carolina.

The ram air turbine is designed as an emergency backup system for providing hydraulic or electrical power if main systems fail during flight. It is typically stowed within the fuselage or wing and can be deployed automatically or manually as needed.

A recent example highlighting its use occurred during Air India Flight 171’s crash when engine power was lost shortly after takeoff; although the RAT supplied hydraulic power upon deployment, it could not prevent disaster under those circumstances.

Boeing continues to address issues related to component sourcing as regulators increase oversight following these findings.