An average aircraft contains approximately 3 million different parts, which are in turn produced by thousands of different manufacturers across the globe. As a result, the procurement of spare parts exists as an extremely complex daily process.

This complexity gave rise to a question: is there a way to simplify the process and increase its efficiency? The answer is yes. In the past, when internet was not widely accessible, the search process could take weeks, or even months. Today, that process has been greatly simplified, meaning that the search for any parts can be successfully completed in less than 24 hours. In line with other industries worldwide, as the aviation industry took the necessary strides forward to modernise itself, the digital aircraft parts marketplace was born.

Locatory.com, a start-up that came to life in 2010, has become one of the leading premium aircraft parts marketplaces in the world. By continuing its focus on innovation and efficiency, the company has successfully introduced a range of new features to its marketplace; one of them, the A.I.-based assistant Amber. As a future without machine learning and artificial intelligence seems highly unlikely, Locatory.com is both aware, and focused on the digitalisation of the industry as a whole.

As already outlined, it has become increasingly evident that aircraft marketplaces have witnessed a dramatic decrease in the complexity of the spare parts procurement process. This gives rise to another question: what could be the next steps for aviation? The answer; building a platform focused on more than just spare parts – the creation of a platform that exists and acts as an entire digital ‘ecosystem’ for all customers, services, and the products required for the successful completion of any maintenance projects.

Locatory.com already offers solutions for supply chain management via, a networking platform and the faster delivery of essential parts and supplies in day-to-day operations. By employing advanced e-commerce and data processing solutions, delivery times were reduced considerably. Additionally, the optimisation of the network allowed the marketplace to speed up the listing and procurement of spare parts. Furthermore, by opening itself to emerging markets, and offering competitively priced plans, the platform opens a world of opportunities for both small and large industry players.

As the digitisation of the aviation industry will increase dramatically in the coming years, even small changes can make a significant impact. Back in the 1960s, the idea of creating a quick and easy procurement process existed merely as a dream. That dream has become a reality, and has changed the industry forever.

Bringing at aircraft down to the runway is only part of the challenge. It is not over until the aircraft parked at gate. In order to do this, there are a number of systems for slowing the aircraft down.

Stopping a 200-tonne aircraft landing requires a lot of braking force. To do this, there is one brake unit on each of the eight wheels on the main gear assembly. This system works fine, but the pipes and actuators that form this part of the hydraulic system come at a considerable weight and what this means,  is that extra weight more fuel burn, which in turn increases costs and carbon emissions.

What if the brakes could be powered a different way?

Electric brakes can saves up to 111 kg. and because of electrical wiring it is much easier and quicker to change the brake units when needed. Smart features also allow engineers to monitor the brake performance more closely, giving a real-time measurement of wear on the carbon disks.

Bringing an aircraft to a safe stop is the most important part of a flight. In order to do this, pilots have a number of “helping hand”, anti-skid protection, autobrake, brake temperature indication, parking brake. In addition to the brakes, spoilers and reverse thrust.

The brakes endure the most of the hard work with the spoilers and reverse thrust helping to ensure maximum efficiency. The autobrake system helps keep the deceleration nice and smooth whilst the anti-skid system reduces the distances needed to stop from skidding.

An aircraft contains approximately 3 million different parts, and there are thousands different manufacturers that produce the spare parts. Therefore, the global supply chain for the aerospace industry is an extremely complex one. So how do you take something complex and make it simple? You build a platform to make it easy for their customers to find all the parts they need in one place: Locatory.com Marketplace a one-stop digital platform. However, the vision for the Marketplace goes beyond spare parts. The goal for Locatory.com Marketplace is to create a true digital “ecosystem” that connects customers with all of the aftermarket products and services that they need for aircraft maintenance.

Locatory.com has aimed to address these issues by drawing enhanced solutions to supply chain management, fostering stronger industry networks and the faster delivery of essential parts and services. Faster delivery was achieved by employing advanced e-commerce and data processing solutions. Process optimization also speeds up the process of listing or procuring parts in the Locatory.com market. However, Locatory.com is different in that it delves into the lucrative but largely difficult-to-access emerging markets, thereby affording its users the world of opportunities.

TOP Searched parts:

1. C19298AF05 Display Unit
2. 2758 Battery
3. 3237896-3 Valve
4. 5-89354-3149 Windshield
5. 1-002-0102-2090 Inverter, Static
6. 66087 Hyd. Pump
7. 0851hl Pitot Probe
8. 3876227-2 Sensor
9. 3214552-5 PRSOV
10. 3289562-5 Rotable-737-400 3289562-5 Control Valve

TOP Buyers:

1. Collins Aerospace China
2. AIR HORIZONT
3. SYPHAX AIRLINES
4. VC Displays, Inc.
5. Magnetic MRO
6. Tunisair Technics
7. HEICO Aircraft Maintenance GmbH
8. MIAT Mongolian Airlines
9. Air Marshall Islands, Inc.
10. Turkish Airlines Technic Inc.

TOP sellers:

1. Source One Spares
2. UNICAL AVIATION INC.
3. Turbo Resources International
4. SKYTRONIX SAS
5. Jet Midwest
6. Vision Aeronautic
7. Brooks and Maldini Corporation
8. MidAmerican Aerospace
9. Hayward & Green Aviation Limited
10. Aeroned B.V.

“A flap is a high-lift device used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a fixed-wing aircraft. Flaps are used to reduce the take-off distance and the landing distance. Flaps also cause an increase in drag so they are retracted when not needed.” And that is according to the Wikipedia, but flaps serve several purposes for flying and can affect the plane in multiple ways. They change the camber of the wing, so when you bring them down they increase lift because they’re changing the camber they also decrease stall speed and therefore it becomes harder to stall the plane. Although they increase lift, drag is also increased when coming in to land, descent angle is increased without increasing airspeed as flaps are brought up, lift and drag are decreased back to normal.

It is not unusual for planes to have multiple types of flaps built into them. For instance, some light twins have inboard split flaps connected to outboard plain flaps. Frequently it is a combination of slotted and Fowler flaps.

Plain Flaps

Plain flaps look very much like inboard ailerons. They are flight control surfaces made up of the trailing section of the wing’s airfoil. When they are deployed, a small section of the back of the wing deflects downward.

Split Flaps

When a split flap goes down, the top of the wing above it remains the same. Instead of the entire trailing edge of the wing moving, only the bottom section of the wing goes down.

Slotted Flaps

Slotted flaps move away from the main wing slightly, and they are lift-producing airfoils themselves. That means that air can flow over the top of them and below them, so they can add quite a bit of lift compared to other types of flaps.

Fowler Flaps

A Fowler flap is very similar to the slotted, with an aerodynamic flow created over the flap and the wing. But what separates the Fowler from any other sort of flap is that they not only travel down but aft as well. This means that when Fowler flaps are extended, the plane’s wing area increases to make more lift.  Fowler flaps are very common on airliners and planes with substantial speed differences between cruise and terminal operations.

Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flap_(aeronautics)

What’s scrapped when an aircraft retires?

Deciding when and how to retire an aircraft is a complicated job, even in normal times, but with Covid-19, the world’s fleet has been largely grounded. Many aircrafts that might have flown for five, 10 or even more years are being sent to have their valuable parts and systems stripped, and their metals and other materials recycled.

Anything to be sold on?

Major assets and the structures, those are things like the auxiliary power unit, the landing gear, the thrust reversers and nacelles. Also, avionics: systems like those used for communications, collision avoidance, weather, and other flight deck equipment. And then, there’s flight control, that’s basically the flaps and the rudders.

There can be quite a lot removed from the aircraft’s interior: for example, the cabin curtains can be reused on other aircraft, as can the leather and seat covers. So, everything from the seats, the cabin equipment, oxygen bottles and fire extinguishers, the coffee, the tea makers, the toilets, the galleys. Once that’s done, then you’re left with basically the fuselage

From there, the flight deck might be cut out to be reused as a simulator, while the doors might also be removed for cabin crew training units.

Everything else is split into categories of recyclable materials or waste. The metal (whether that’s steel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminum or something else), then there are recyclables such as flight deck glass, tires and so on, then hazardous components such as batteries.

Is that the end of aircraft?

Useful systems and parts removed continuing to serve passengers, the rest being extracted for onward sale, and her materials recycled to be used again in something else — perhaps, even, a new airplane that eventually might take to the skies once more.