A new report from the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, an organization formed to prevent unapproved parts from entering the industry, “finds that companies are making progress implementing its initial recommendations.” The report comes less than one year after the Coalition shared a list of 13 recommended actions.
According to the Coalition, the Implementation Progress Update, released at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s General Assembly, “outlines how members and others in the aviation industry have started implementing the report’s five short-term recommendations. These recommendations-focused on strengthening vendor accreditation, improving document traceability and verification, and enhancing part traceability-are designed for implementation within two years.”
Coalition co-chair Robert L. Sumwalt, former NTSB chair said: “The Coalition didn’t stop with the report’s release last year-it was just getting started. More work is ahead, but the update shows progress and that lasting change is underway.”
Coalition co-chair John D. Porcari, former deputy U.S. Transportation Secretary said: “The progress we’ve made over the past year is proof that collaboration on aviation safety works and is a must. Preventing unapproved parts requires sustained focus and collective action from every corner of the aviation industry.”
The Coalition, which has been meeting throughout the year, also reported the addition of new members this year, “including AAR CORP., Aeroxchange Ltd., the Aviation Suppliers Association, and Southwest Airlines, further bolstering industry-wide efforts to implement the recommendations.” The report includes case studies outlining how specific companies are implementing the recommendations.
According to the Coalition, “One is how GE Aerospace will deploy a signature validation tool across its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) shops and on-wing support facilities in support of the Coalition recommendation to enhance the integrity of ARCs. This tool verifies the identity, employment, and authority of signatories. It builds on past efforts to digitize key MRO paperwork and use AI to verify that data fields are valid and match other records.”
Another case study outlines the presentation StandardAero gave during a Coalition webinar to help others across the industry, especially smaller suppliers, adopt best practices for controlling unserviceable and scrap material.
GE Aerospace Chief Transformation Officer Phil Wickler, one of the coalition’s members said: “GE Aerospace continues to make progress advancing digital tools and processes to strengthen supply chain integrity, but the work is far from over. We remain dedicated to collaborating with industry partners to implement these recommendations and develop innovative solutions.”
Founding members of the coalition include senior representatives from Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, GE Aerospace, Safran, StandardAero and United Airlines.