Aerospace parts and services marketplace Locatory.com presents you with the most crucial data regarding the top 50 most-searched and top 50 hardest-to-find aircraft parts worldwide for the first month of this fall.
With thousands of searches logged across the Locatory.com marketplace every day, our monthly Top 50 Most-Searched Parts and the Top 50 Hard-to-Find Parts lists provide a snapshot of the shifting realities in commercial aviation maintenance.
Aircraft Powertrain Components on the Rise
September’s most-searched list was dominated by engine hardware, once again highlighting that propulsion remains the most critical and most expensive domain in aviation maintenance. Among the most frequently searched were hot-section parts such as 2466M62G03, a high-pressure turbine blade for GE engines, and 2403M91P05, another critical turbine stage component. The search for 2784M32G01, an HPT (high-pressure turbine) rotor stage 1 disk, and 1498M43P06, linked to CFM56 engine hardware, confirms how much attention is concentrated on life-limited parts that dictate shop visit timing.
So, high-pressure turbine disks and blades, particularly for the CFM56 and LEAP families, were among the most sought-after components. These hot-section parts are essential to maintaining engine performance and safety, and they are subject to heavy regulatory oversight. Alongside them, hydromechanical units and engine control systems also stood out, showing how much focus there is not only on the durability of hardware, but also on the electronics and fuel metering precision that make modern engines run.
The presence of the CFM56-3C1 engine itself on the list signals that classic fleet support is still alive and well. Many operators in secondary markets continue to rely on 737 Classics, and they are actively looking for spares and support to extend the lives of these aircraft.
Everyday Fleet Essentials
At the same time, cockpit and structural elements appeared high in searches, from windshields and storm windows to standby instruments. These highlight the reality that while engines dominate the conversation, day-to-day fleet upkeep, from transparencies to avionics and wheels, is just as vital to operators.
Marketplace users were also looking for accessories and electronic systems. The such units as temperature controller (for example, p/n 796880-60-003), Airbus A320 Air Data Inertial Reference Unit (searched by part number 465020-03030316), as well as the fuel nozzle assembly ranked high, reflecting the day-to-day operational needs that keep aircraft dispatch-ready. Avionics and cockpit elements surfaced as well: different configurations of cockpit display units showed that flight-deck electronics remain a steady area of focus.
Accumulators, starters, and wheel assemblies were among the other parts that continued to attract searches, showing how the essentials of keeping an aircraft in service drive steady attention. Searches for a windshield assembly, and a cockpit storm window assemblies (such as defined by part numbers 120-42177-524 120-42177-526, or 120-42177-510) further underline how transparency components are consistent pain points, with long lead times and specialized repair pathways.
The Supply Crunch: Hard-to-Find Components
If the most-searched list highlights demand, the hard-to-find list reflects where airlines and MROs face the greatest supply pressure. September’s list revealed clear patterns of scarcity, especially around nose radomes (such as these, defined by part numbers 284T0052-43, while part number 245-604128-101 also made it to the list) and cockpit transparencies. Radomes are notoriously difficult to source as they are relatively very expensive parts, which are often tied to specific repair or exchange programs rather than outright purchase. Their appearance near the top of the list shows how often operators are being challenged by delays in obtaining them.
Avionics units also played a central role in the hard-to-find category, with radar altimeters, electronic flight bag systems, and other cockpit electronics all making their way to the list this time. These searches point to the growing issue of avionics obsolescence, where regulatory compliance demands updated systems, but supply of older hardware is dwindling.
Helicopter parts made a strong showing as well. Gearboxes and rotor blades for various Airbus Helicopters models (such as 355A11-0030-07) highlighted the fact that the rotary-wing sector, often still overlooked in aftermarket discussions, faces its own pressing challenges. These operators often perform mission-critical roles, and their parts requirements are as urgent as those of commercial airlines.
Engine-related components once again appeared on the hard-to-find list, including seals and structural elements for the CFM LEAP engine family. With LEAP engines still relatively young in service but already facing some durability and overhaul challenges, the demand for these spares is intensifying. Interestingly, test and ground support equipment also appeared, such as loop controllers used in maintenance operations. This demonstrates that supply chain stress does not end with flight hardware: the tools and equipment required to service aircraft can also become bottlenecks.
What the Data Tells Us
Taken together, these two lists provide a revealing picture of the state of the aviation aftermarket. Engine parts dominate demand, as operators and MROs continue to prioritize keeping propulsion systems reliable and compliant. At the same time, avionics scarcity is becoming more visible, especially as modernization programs intersect with limited supply of older systems.
The persistence of searches for CFM56-3 engine components and other legacy aircraft parts proves that mature fleets are still active worldwide and remain an important part of global capacity. Meanwhile, the appearance of helicopter gearboxes and rotor blades shows that the rotary-wing market is quietly facing its own supply issues.
September’s results underline the dual challenge facing aviation today: supporting legacy platforms while adapting to next-generation engines and avionics. As operators stretch the lives of older fleets and prepare for the next wave of maintenance on newer equipment, visibility into demand is as important as availability of supply. At Locatory.com, by analyzing what our partners are searching for (and what they are struggling to find) we are better positioned to connect supply with demand, easing bottlenecks and helping aircraft stay operable and profitable.
