AOG Parts Sourcing: Fast Aircraft on Ground Parts Without Skipping the Paperwork
For AOG parts sourcing, we search authorized, accredited and repair station sources at once, check every release document and trace before the part ships, and put it on one PO. Send the part number with dash number, serial, the condition codes you accept, the release you need and whether exchange, outright or loan works.
Updated
What AOG parts sourcing from us looks like
AOG parts sourcing means finding a serviceable, eligible part for an aircraft on ground and getting it to the station with release paperwork that will survive receiving inspection. We take the request, search authorized, accredited and repair station sources at the same time, check the documents before anything ships, and put the buy on one purchase order with one contact.
Be clear on what we are and are not. We are a sourcing service. We are not an FAA certificated repair station, we do not hold a production approval, and we are not an AS9120 distributor or an AC 00-56 accredited distributor ourselves. We do not sign 8130-3 tags. What we do is route the job to the organizations that hold those approvals, flow your requirements down to them, and check that what comes back matches what you asked for. Every order ships with our certificate of conformance, and that certificate only states that the part, quantity and documents match the order. The airworthiness statement always comes from the certificated person who signed the release.
What an MRO buyer must send in the first message
The first message decides how fast an AOG search moves. Send the full part identity, the condition you will accept and the release you need, all at once, so sources can answer yes or no without a back and forth.
| Item | Why it matters on an AOG search |
|---|---|
| Part number with dash number | The dash number often changes the configuration, mod status or interchangeability. A quote on the base number alone is not a quote. |
| Acceptable alternates | Interchangeable part numbers from the illustrated parts catalog or a service bulletin widen the search. Only list ones your engineering or technical records accepts. |
| Serial number of the removed unit | Needed for an exchange, for core tracking, and for any serial-effective service bulletin or airworthiness directive check. |
| Aircraft type, model and serial or registration | Confirms effectivity and tells the source which authority's paperwork you need. |
| Condition codes you accept (NE, NS, OH, SV, AR) | Rules out stock you cannot install and stops sellers from offering an as-removed core as a fix. |
| Release document required | FAA Form 8130-3, EASA Form 1, dual release, or a manufacturer certificate of conformance for standard parts. |
| Transaction type | Outright, exchange or loan. Each one finds different stock. |
| Ship-to station and after-hours receiving contact | An AOG part that arrives at a closed dock is still AOG. |
| Who can approve | One named person who can accept a quote, an alternate or an exchange term at night. |
Condition codes: NE, NS, OH, SV and AR
Condition codes are trade shorthand used by sellers and MROs, not definitions written into FAA regulations, so read every code against the documents that come with the part. A code tells you what the seller claims; the release document and the records tell you what you can install.
| Code | Common meaning | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| NE (new) | Never used, no time or cycles. May not come straight from the manufacturer but should keep the manufacturer's certification and trace. | Manufacturer certificate or 8130-3 production release, plus trace back to the production approval holder. |
| NS (new surplus) | Unused, but has passed through one or more sellers. Some NS stock no longer has the original manufacturer paperwork. | The original release if it exists, the full chain of sellers, and storage history. Treat a seller-only certificate as a gap. |
| OH (overhauled) | Disassembled, inspected, repaired as needed, reassembled and tested to the maintenance manual or other approved data. | Maintenance release from the repair station, the work order or teardown report, and the data used. |
| SV (serviceable) | Inspected or tested and found airworthy. Sellers use it for repaired, function-tested or inspected units. | The release, plus what work was actually done. "Tested" and "repaired" are not the same workscope. |
| AR (as removed) | Same condition it came off the aircraft. Not inspected or tested, no airworthiness release. | Only buy AR as a core or for repair. It is never an installable answer to an AOG. |
Phrases like "serviceable when removed" are opinions, not a status.
Release documents: what the tag has to say
For most components, the release you want is an FAA Form 8130-3 or an EASA Form 1 issued by the organization that made or last worked on the part. Check which side of the form was completed: a production release says a new part conforms to its approved design, a maintenance release returns a used or repaired part to service.
On an AOG order, the receiving check that saves you is quick: part number and dash number on the tag match the data plate and the PO, the serial matches, the issuing organization and approval number are present, the work described matches the condition code you paid for, and the signer and date are filled in. If the aircraft is EASA registered and the part is used, the 8130-3 normally needs the dual release statement. Our aviation MRO parts page walks through the release blocks one by one, so this page does not repeat them.
Standard parts such as AN, MS and NAS hardware usually come with a manufacturer certificate of conformance instead of an 8130-3. That is normal, as long as the certificate names the actual manufacturer and lot. A distributor's own certificate with no manufacturer document behind it is not the same thing. See our certificate of conformance guide for what a usable one contains.
AC 00-56 accredited distributors and AS9120
An AC 00-56 accredited distributor has had its quality system audited against a standard the FAA lists as acceptable, which is a good sign about how it handles parts and records. It does not make every part on its shelf eligible for installation.
The FAA's AC 00-56 page describes a voluntary industry distributor accreditation program and lists the quality system standards it accepts and who accredits against them: ASA-100 through the Aviation Suppliers Association, ISO 9001 through certification bodies accredited by IAF signatories, and AS9100, AS9110 and AS9120 through certification bodies listed in the IAQG OASIS database. The FAA notes the current revision of each standard is required.
In practice, for AOG buying:
- Check the certificate and its scope. Look the distributor up in OASIS or ask for the ASA-100 certificate, and confirm the scope covers distribution of the commodity you are buying.
- Separate the company from the part. FAA AC 20-62E points out that when a non-certificated seller certifies it shipped the correct part, that statement only says the part number agrees with the order. The eligibility evidence is the release and records behind it.
Our guide to buying from AS9120 distributors covers distributor types in more depth.
Traceability back to the OEM or a certificated repair station
Traceability on an aircraft part means a paper path from the part in your hand back to either the production approval holder that made it or the certificated person who last returned it to service. Anything in between is a seller, and sellers add documents but cannot add airworthiness.
AC 20-62E lists the kinds of traceability a seller may be able to show, including parts from a production approval holder under a TC, PC, PMA or TSO authorization and used parts traceable to a person authorized to approve them for return to service under Part 43.
Where the trace breaks is predictable: a broker who will not name the source, a gap between a teardown and a release, copies of a tag where the original should be, or a life-limited part whose back-to-birth history has a missing shop visit. Missing records cannot be recreated after the fact, so a broken trace is a reason to keep searching, even on an AOG.
Unapproved parts risk under AC 21-29
An AOG search is where suspected unapproved parts are most likely to get through, because the first seller to answer is not always the one with the records. FAA AC 21-29D explains how to detect suspected unapproved parts and report them to the FAA on Form 8120-11.
Patterns that show up on rushed buys:
- A price or availability that is far out of line with every other source for the same part number and condition.
- A tag whose part number, serial, signer or issuing organization does not match the part or the data plate.
- "Overhauled" stock with no work order behind the release, or a release from an organization whose approval does not cover that article.
- Parts from salvaged aircraft, or from units exposed to fire, flood or an accident, offered as serviceable.
If something does not add up, segregate the part with its packaging and documents and report it rather than quietly sending it back to the seller. Our counterfeit parts avoidance page covers the defense-side controls, and the aviation and MRO library page lists the advisory circulars.
Exchange vs outright vs loan
For a rotable on an AOG, exchange is often the fastest way to get a serviceable unit, outright is cleanest when your core is not worth repairing, and a loan buys time while your own unit is in the shop. Decide which you will accept before quotes come in, because each one draws on different stock.
| Transaction | How it works | What to settle on the PO |
|---|---|---|
| Outright | You buy a serviceable unit and keep your removed unit. | Condition code, release type, time and cycles, warranty. |
| Exchange | You get a serviceable unit now and send your removed core back. | Core return period, core acceptance conditions, who pays if the core is beyond economical repair, what happens if the data plate or removal tag is missing. |
| Loan | You borrow a serviceable unit while your own unit is repaired, then return the loaner. | Loan period and charges, return condition, the release that must come back with the loaner, and what happens if your repair runs long. |
Write the core and loan terms into the order; most exchange disputes start with a rejected core.
Why speed can never skip the paperwork
On an AOG, the time goes into finding stock and moving it; checking the paperwork takes minutes if the request was set up right. Cutting the document check does not save meaningful time, but it does move the risk onto the aircraft.
How we keep both: we ask sources for the release, trace and condition data with the quote, not after the PO. Quotes that come back without documents are ranked below quotes that do, even if they are faster. Before anything ships we compare the tag, the trace and the data plate photos against the order. If a document is missing, you hear about it before you commit, with the choice spelled out: wait for the document, take a different unit, or reject. Rush requests are prioritized and a person replies within 1 business day, but we do not promise a delivery time, because on an AOG that depends on where the serviceable unit is sitting.
What drives AOG lead time and cost
Lead time and cost on an AOG part are driven mostly by where serviceable stock sits and what condition it is in, not by the search itself.
- Fleet size and part commonality. Parts shared across large fleets usually have more pool, exchange and surplus stock than parts for small or out-of-production types.
- Condition accepted. Accepting OH and SV alongside NE widens the stock. Insisting on factory new for a rotable often narrows it to the manufacturer's lead time.
- Release requirements. A dual release or a specific authority's paperwork filters out stock that is otherwise good.
- Repair station turnaround. If no serviceable unit exists, the answer is a repair, and the clock is the repair station's workscope and test.
- Logistics. Counter-to-counter, courier and next flight out options, customs for imported units, and hazmat rules for some components.
We will not quote you a price or a delivery promise on this page. We will tell you, on each real request, which of these is setting the timeline.
What to send with your AOG request
- Part number with dash number, and any approved interchangeable part numbers
- Serial number of the removed unit, and its removal tag if you have one
- Aircraft type, model and serial or registration, and the registering authority
- Condition codes you will accept (NE, NS, OH, SV) and whether AR cores are of interest for repair
- Release required: 8130-3, EASA Form 1, dual release, or manufacturer certificate for standard parts
- Outright, exchange or loan, and your core return constraints
- Quantity, need date and time, ship-to station, and the after-hours receiving contact
- Any airworthiness directive, service bulletin or mod status that limits acceptable units
- The name of the person who can approve a quote or an alternate at any hour
Use our receiving inspection checklist to set up the check at the door, and our aerospace hardware sourcing page if the same order also needs standard hardware.
Send an AOG parts request
Send the part number, dash number, condition and release you need through the AOG parts request form and mark it rush. A person replies within 1 business day and rush requests are worked first. You get one quote and one contact even when the unit, a seal kit and the hardware come from different sources, and every order ships with a certificate of conformance plus the release and trace documents your request calls for. If the part or its data is export controlled, read controlled programs before sending documents, and confidentiality explains how your files are handled.
Send the job. A person replies within 1 business day.
Part, quantity and date are enough to start. Drawings and the mutual NDA follow by reply, and controlled programs never send technical data through this site.
We have it.
Reference . A person replies within 1 business day. Watch for our email from [email protected].
Questions
What does AOG mean in aircraft parts buying?
AOG stands for aircraft on ground: an aircraft that cannot be dispatched until a part is replaced. In buying terms it means the order jumps the queue at the seller, the logistics get expedited and someone on both sides stays reachable until the part is delivered. It does not change what makes a part eligible to install. The same release document, traceability and condition checks apply to an AOG part as to any routine order.
Are you an FAA repair station or an AS9120 distributor?
No. We are a sourcing service. We do not hold an FAA repair station certificate, a production approval, AS9120 certification or AC 00-56 accreditation, and we do not sign release documents. We route your AOG request to organizations that hold the approvals the job needs, flow your requirements down to them, check the release and trace documents against your order, and ship with our certificate of conformance stating the order matches.
Is a new surplus (NS) part as good as a new (NE) part?
Not automatically. NS usually means the part is unused but has passed through one or more sellers, and some NS stock has lost the original manufacturer's certification on the way. An NS part with the original production release and a complete chain of sellers can be perfectly usable. An NS part with only a seller's own certificate is a traceability gap you would have to close before installation, which takes time an AOG order rarely has.
Is exchange faster than buying outright on an AOG?
Often, for rotables. Exchange pools and repair stations tend to keep serviceable units on the shelf so they can ship one now and take your core later. Outright stock can be thinner, especially for older types. The trade-off is the core terms: if your core is rejected as beyond economical repair, the exchange can cost more than an outright buy. Settle the core acceptance conditions on the purchase order before you approve.
What does AC 00-56 accreditation tell me about a distributor?
It tells you the distributor's quality system was audited against a standard the FAA lists as acceptable for its voluntary distributor accreditation program, such as ASA-100, ISO 9001 or the AS9100 family including AS9120. That is useful evidence about how the company handles parts and records. It does not make a particular part eligible. Eligibility still comes from the release document and the traceability to the manufacturer or the certificated person who last approved it.
What should I do if an AOG part arrives with a tag that does not match?
Do not install it and do not ship it straight back. Segregate the part with its packaging and every document, record what does not match, and ask the seller for an explanation in writing. If the explanation does not resolve it, FAA AC 21-29D describes how to report a suspected unapproved part on FAA Form 8120-11. Quietly returning it lets the same part reach the next buyer.
Related
Sources
- FAA: Voluntary Industry Distributor Accreditation Program (AC 00-56), accepted standards and organizations
- FAA AC 20-62E with Change 1, Eligibility, Quality and Identification of Aeronautical Replacement Parts
- FAA AC 21-29D, Detecting and Reporting Suspected Unapproved Parts
- EASA: Form 1 completion instructions
- EASA FAQ: dual release on FAA Form 8130-3 under the EU and U.S. bilateral agreement
- CLA: aircraft part condition codes (FN, NE, NS, OH, SV, AR)
- IAQG OASIS database of certified aerospace organizations
Ready to
source it?
A person replies within 1 business day. NDA first.
Request a quote