AOG guide
AOG charter for aircraft parts
A grounded aircraft costs a multiple of the transport bill per day. This guide sets out the decisions that fall in the first hours and how to build a timeline that holds.
Short answer
An AOG charter delivers spare parts to an aircraft grounded away from base. Aircraft selection follows the size and weight of the part, from a light jet for an avionics box to a widebody freighter for a spare engine on its transport stand. Departures within a few hours of written release are achievable when permits and customs run in parallel.
- Response
- Options inside one hour
- Departure
- From about three hours after release
- Engines
- Stand dimensions drive the type
- Desk
- Around the clock, holidays included
The part chooses the aircraft
The first question is never price, it is geometry. An avionics box fits a light jet, a landing gear leg already needs a narrowbody freighter with a main deck door, and a spare engine on its stand needs a widebody or a ramp-loading freighter.
That is why dimensions and weight belong in the first message. With them the field of usable types is clear in minutes, instead of comparing quotes from aircraft that cannot physically load the part.
| Part | Typical shipping size | Usual aircraft |
|---|---|---|
| Avionics, small parts | Case under 1 m | Light jet, on-board courier |
| Wheels and brakes | Palletised, up to 1.5 m | Light jet to turboprop |
| Landing gear leg | Up to 5 m, several tonnes | Narrowbody freighter |
| Spare engine on stand | Around 6 x 3 x 3 m | B767F, B777F, An-124 |
| Fuselage or wing section | Outsize | Ramp-loading freighter |
The timeline from release
From written release, slot request, permits, crew planning and ground handling run in parallel. At European and North American stations departures from roughly three hours are realistic; in permit-heavy regions expect six to twelve.
The critical path is rarely the aircraft. It sits in overflight and landing permits, in main deck loader availability outside normal hours, and in customs when the part moves under a repair regime.
- Hour 0
- Part data, both stations, named contact at destination.
- Hour 1
- Aircraft options with price, departure window and arrival time.
- After release
- Slots, permits, crew and handling actioned in parallel.
- Arrival
- Handover to maintenance or MRO, chain of custody documented.
Spare engines are their own case
An engine flies in a transport stand with its own weight and its own lifting points. Stand height and centre of gravity drive type selection, and main deck floor loading is checked against the operator's load sheet before commitment.
At destination a rated main deck loader or crane has to be available. Where it is not, the mission diverts to a nearby cargo station and the final leg runs by road, which is often faster overall than waiting for equipment.
Dangerous goods and customs under pressure
Many AOG parts are dangerous goods. Oxygen generators, batteries, fire bottles and assemblies with residual fuel need correct classification and declaration even under time pressure. Wrong paperwork costs more time than any permit.
On the customs side, shipments usually run as temporary export for repair or as an exchange unit with return of the defective core. Both routes are fixed before departure so that the arrival does not end up in a bonded warehouse.
What belongs in the first message
- Part and condition
- Description, dangerous goods class where applicable, packing.
- Dimensions and weight
- Including stand and lifting points.
- Stations
- Pickup and destination airport, opening hours, ground equipment.
- Time target
- Latest usable arrival at the aircraft.
- Release authority
- Who signs off and in which time zone they are reachable.
How fast can an AOG charter depart?+
About three hours from written release is realistic where aircraft, crew and handling are available at origin. Permit-heavy regions need six to twelve hours.
What does an urgent flight for an aircraft part cost?+
From a low five-figure sum for a light jet inside Europe to six figures for a spare engine flown intercontinentally. Aircraft type, block hours and positioning drive the figure.
Can any freighter carry a spare engine?+
No. Stand height, weight and floor loading usually narrow the field to widebody freighters or ramp loaders, and suitable ground equipment must exist at destination.
What happens to the defective part?+
It normally returns on the same or a following flight. The return leg belongs in the plan because it affects customs status and stand availability.
Are AOG flights possible at night and on holidays?+
Yes, where the airport permits night operations or grants an exemption and handling plus customs are staffed. Both are confirmed before release, not after.
More answers in the FAQ hub with 50+ questions.
Reach the AOG desk
Part data, both stations and the time target are enough. Options with aircraft type, departure window and arrival time follow within the hour.
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Move the next mission
Send the requirement and the desk will come back with sourced options, or call now if it is time-critical.