Aircraft maintenance operates on a razor-thin line between strategic planning and reactive crisis management, where the latter often translates to crippling costs.
In an industry grappling with parts shortages and maintenance slot scarcity, efficient inventory planning is the only viable route to sustainability.
Why is Aircraft on Ground (AOG) so costly for airlines?
Aircraft maintenance today balances between strategic planning and reactive crisis management. When an aircraft is grounded unexpectedly (AOG), the cost can be devastating. Depending on the aircraft type and downtime, AOG expenses can reach $10,000 to $150,000 per day.
Compared to this, the cost of a Locatory.com marketplace subscription is less than 0.1 days of AOG losses, showing why proactive planning pays off.
What are the biggest challenges in aviation parts supply chains?
The global aviation industry is facing critical pressures:
- Parts shortages for popular aircraft like the Boeing 737 Classics, Airbus A320ceos, and various variants of CFM56 engines.
- Maintenance slot scarcity, with MRO facilities booked months in advance.
- Global logistics delays caused by labor shortages, geopolitical tensions, and production backlogs.
These factors leave airlines and MROs vulnerable to costly delays unless they adopt smarter inventory planning and digital procurement tools.
How can airlines secure critical aircraft parts faster?
Locatory.com provides access to a global network of suppliers with warehouses in over 150 countries. Its AI-driven Amber AI tool scans RFQs instantly, offering:
- Real-time visibility of available parts.
- Automated quoting to cut response times.
- Smarter procurement decisions that reduce costs.
This ensures that operators can find hard-to-source components like fan blades, avionics systems, and engine parts quickly, before an AOG disrupts operations.
How does Locatory.com help airlines plan for the long term?
Beyond solving urgent AOG situations, Locatory.com supports predictive inventory planning by:
- Offering demand forecasts for critical components.
- Enabling strategic stocking of spares for narrowbody and widebody fleets.
- Supporting operators of aging aircraft, where sourcing legacy parts is becoming harder.
This predictive approach helps airlines avoid schedule disruptions and ensure higher fleet utilization.
How does Locatory.com strengthen collaboration across the aviation supply chain?
One of the platform’s advantages is connecting:
- Airlines and operators
- MROs and repair shops
- Suppliers, OEM distributors, and brokers
By centralizing communication, Locatory.com reduces miscommunication, speeds up transactions, and provides a single digital hub for aviation parts procurement.
Recent partnerships with Unical Aviation and Ambry Hill Technologies further expand inventory access and introduce advanced quoting automation, thus delivering more value to end users.
Can digital inventory solutions support ESG goals in aviation?
Yes. Aviation is under growing pressure to reduce its environmental footprint. Locatory.com’s digital-first approach supports ESG goals by:
- Cutting down on paper-based transactions.
- Streamlining logistics to lower carbon emissions.
- Reducing wasted resources through smarter inventory planning.
This aligns with global sustainability targets while also improving operational efficiency.
Why is Locatory.com especially valuable for older aircraft fleets?
As the global fleet ages, demand for hard-to-find legacy parts is rising. Locatory.com offers one of the largest searchable databases of surplus aircraft parts, helping operators extend aircraft lifecycles without long downtime.
In a rapidly evolving industry, readiness is not optional. Everyone would agree that, in such an industry, it is rather an imperative. With Locatory.com, operators can plan ahead, mitigate risks, and ensure their aircraft remain not only operational but also profitable.
“Many of our clients, including airlines and MROs globally, have faced consistent challenges sourcing parts for aging aircraft,” shares Matutytė. “By integrating Locatory.com into their operations, they’ve not only cut lead times significantly but also optimized inventory management, saving substantial resources annually. These success stories show a real impact of proactive planning and strategic tools.”
