Locatory said October was the second month in a row of highest search activity for aircraft parts for the year 2026. Marketplace searches increased 21% from September, bringing cumulative activity by the end of October to approximately 93% of the total volume seen across 2025.

The latest figures show the squeeze is on the aircraft maintenance supply chain, with demand increasingly focused on standard hardware, seals and landing gear components. Parts for GE90 and Boeing 777 engines have also re-emerged as some of the hardest components to source.

These developments echo concerns raised by airlines, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers and suppliers at MRO Europe 2026 in Amsterdam. Industry participants mentioned longer repair turnaround times, limited component availability and the growing difficulty in sustaining aircraft availability as supply chains become more complex.

“Even minor shortages matter,” said Frank Stevens, Embraer’s global vise president of MRO services. At MRO Europe he explained how a plane could arrive with 98% of the parts it needs and still be stuck on the ground because of the absence of the other 2%.

Aircraft parts market: key takeaways for October

Locorty points to a number of important changes to sourcing activity in its October report:

  • Searches for aircraft parts hit a new 2026 high, up 21% month on month. At the end of October activity was already about 93% of the total full year 2025.

  • Landing gear and brake parts were four times their previous share, and 50% of the most searched list of components were standard hardware and seals.

  • 28% of the Hardest to Find list and 70% of the engine-related items on the list were engine accessories for the GE90 and Boeing 777. They were the fifth-hardest parts to get hold of in six months.

  • Shortages continued with 42% of the Hardest to Find part numbers carried over from September.

  • Operators are faced with longer component repair times, higher fuel costs and more complex logistics operations, all of which are putting more pressure on them as the winter maintenance period approaches.

Shifting patterns of demand and ongoing component shortages

The parts list with the most searches had a very different composition from September to October, with only 12% of the parts appearing on both lists.

The third month in a row saw the recording of four components: a Boeing 757 turbine engine ignition plug (305766-1), a CFM56-5B bolt (83769H16-14), a rivet (CR3522-5-03) and a smoke hood protective breathing equipment unit (E28180-20-0006). The list from September still had a nut (2600545) and pin rivet collar (BACC30M6) on it.

prominence of landing gear and brake parts

Airframe and landing gear parts were 3 times more represented on the Most Searched list this month than last month. Much of the growth was driven by demand for wheel and brake equipment.

The seven highlighted parts of the ATR 42 brake assembly were: a brake disk (134-331-1), brake rotor disk (244-650-3), torque plate (4-332-1), pressure plate (541-27), wear plate (93-938-1), wear pad (93-982) and wheel and brake stud (534-5).

Others in demand were a DHC-8 spring (40-598-1) and sleeve (54-479).

Other searches included a torque bar (A35229), liner (A35403), piston (A35404-2), thrust plate (GA32744), two shield assemblies (GA31503 and 378-81-1) and a Boeing 737NG actuator (1FA14012-8).

The increase in demand comes against a backdrop of wider constraints in landing gear maintenance. According to IATP, repair turnaround times for landing gear have increased from approximately 50 days to as many as 150 days. A proposed shared landing gear pool is not expected to become available before 2027.

Engine components remain a sourcing challenge

Engine-related parts represented 10% of the Most Searched list in October. The Boeing 757 ignition plug (305766-1) and CFM56-5B bolt (83769H16-14) both appeared for the third consecutive month, reflecting the slower-than-anticipated retirement of the CFM56 fleet.

The other engine-related entries comprised an Embraer 190 engine shroud tube assembly (190-04419-401), a cap (ASC4DN) and the previously mentioned piston (A35404-2).

Demand was also recorded across other aircraft systems. Electrical and avionics searches included an A320 ADF antenna (615-2630-102), battery (2758) and pressure sensor holder (4305901210). In cabin and safety equipment, the list featured a Boeing 737 oxygen mask (174692-N7) and smoke hood (E28180-20-0006).

GE90 shortages return to the hardest-to-source rankings

Locatory.com's Hardest to Find list provides an indication of component sourcing gaps and potential commercial opportunities for suppliers able to offer available inventory.

Engine components accounted for 43% of the October list, almost twice their September share. The increase was largely attributable to recurring shortages affecting GE90 components.

GE90-related parts had featured in the Hardest to Find rankings every month between May and August before disappearing in September. Their return in October represents their fifth appearance in a six-month period.

The affected components covered several critical engine systems:

  • FADEC units: 105E70898G1, 105E70898G2 and 105E70898G3.

  • HMUs and control assemblies: 1851M65P04, 1851M65P05, 1851M65P06 and 1693M75P08.

  • Fuel-oil cooler and lube servo assemblies: 1838M88P03 and 1838M88P11.

  • IDG/VSCF air-oil cooler interfaces for GE90-110B1/-113B/-115B engines: 1838M91P06, 1838M91P07 and 1838M91P08.

  • IDG check valve: 1548-05-12.

  • Temperature and pressure sensor: 0154GF9.

The recurring availability problems coincide with increasing maintenance requirements across the GE90 fleet. Rahul Ghai, CFO of GE Aerospace, stated that 70% of GE90 engines have yet to undergo a second shop visit. More extensive maintenance workscopes are expected to increase demand for fuel controls, HMUs and oil-cooler assemblies.

Bernstein analyst Doug Harned also highlighted the severity of the situation, describing the GE90 market as “totally backed up for shop visits, hard to get parts, hard to get an engine.”

Engine maintenance capacity faces additional constraints

Supply difficulties are not limited to GE90 components. IATP has suspended its planned engine pooling initiative because of restricted component availability.

Its chairman, Essam Hanafy, reported that engine shop turnaround times have reached 180–200 days or longer for many airlines, adding another layer of pressure to fleet maintenance planning.

Recurring shortages across multiple component categories

October's Hardest to Find list also revealed that 42% of its entries had already appeared in September. Six part numbers remained on the list for a third consecutive month:

  • Turbine rotor set (750574-3).

  • Voltage converter (41010-000).

  • Capacitor (935A333-3).

  • DU liner bushing (AJ18C105DU).

  • PTFE seal tape (J8066).

  • Underwing longeron filler (675W0003-7).

Other recurring shortages covered several component families.

Bearings: 1B7297, VTB11220P20 and D48896.

Engine and mechanical components: Main fuel control unit (343813), piston (F859989), vertical metering pin (1C2067-1), engine mount bolt (CSP282-29LA) and ring (8-218V709-90).

Hardware and structural components: Screws (60-4156-1 and 2291-13), bolt (51U692), aluminium structural rib (65B11513-77), cover (3234453-1) and light lens (6230-01-017-1226).

Standard hardware accounted for 25% of the Hardest to Find list. New entries included silicone foam tape for the A320 family and A330 (ABS5673AS3-3), a bolt (2021811-2) and an attach ring assembly (314A1014-11).

Electrical and avionics components represented 13%. These included a Boeing 787 fuel-height and temperature sensor (20301-0134), CFM56-5 cable assembly (284T1015-1), armature assembly (81706312) and insulation (337-116-702-0). The voltage converter and capacitor also remained among the recurring shortages.

Airframe and landing gear parts likewise represented 13%, with new entries including a Boeing 767 tube assembly (113T1910-90), bracket assembly (277-1822-501) and actuator (GA72966), alongside recurring structural components and a cover latch (0FV9900A11G02).

Cabin and safety equipment accounted for the remaining 6%. An A320 family cabinet (A225400413-522) was added, together with recurring shortages involving a cover and light lens.

Winter maintenance increases pressure on airline operations

The sourcing patterns identified in Locatory.com's October figures reflect broader concerns raised during MRO Europe 2026 in Amsterdam, where airlines, maintenance providers and suppliers discussed longer repair cycles, limited parts availability and growing logistical difficulties.

Winter is a very important period for heavy aircraft maintenance in Europe and North America. Seasonal maintenance programs typically increase the need for fasteners, seals, bearings and brake components – precisely the categories that saw the strongest growth in Locatory.com’s October searches.

The maintenance season this year begins in already difficult operating conditions. KLM announced flight cancelations from 26 October through early March 2027, citing extended maintenance requirements, delayed repairs and late delivery of replacement parts.

There were also discussions at MRO Europe of a significant deterioration in component repair lead times. Industry panelists said turnaround times have increased from 30 to 40 days to 60 to 70 days. For 74% of respondents, turnaround time is a higher priority than price.

Longer repair cycles mean airlines are holding larger spare parts inventories even with fleets of the same size. This method protects aircraft availability but also locks up more working capital.

Fuel costs add to the maintenance and inventory burden

Another financial pressure on airlines already facing increased maintenance and procurement costs is the rising cost of fuel.

Fuel is projected to account for 31.4% of airline operating expenses in 2026 compared with 25.4% in 2025, IATA said.

Prices have gone up more since that forecast. On October 22, jet fuel, as measured by the Argus US Jet Fuel Index, hit US$4.90 a gallon, up 96% from before the war.

Higher fuel bills constrain the capacity of airlines to absorb additional costs for repairs and inventory of spare parts. This means that operators are under increasing pressure to source components at competitive prices without any further extensions to aircraft downtime.

Aviation supply chains shift with geopolitical disruption

In addition to component shortages and rising operating costs, geopolitical developments are changing the way aviation companies are organizing their logistics networks.

Speaking at MRO Europe, HAECO warned that geopolitical disruption is forcing businesses to rethink the routes of transportation and the geographical positioning of their inventories.

Lufthansa Technik also cited competing demand for the shared components. The company said it was prioritizing components for US military TF34 requirements used across both engine programs and commercial CF34 engines were waiting months for bearings.

These developments together illustrate the growing web of interlinked pressures on aircraft maintenance and parts acquisition. With rising demand for winter maintenance, airlines are faced with a combination of limited supply of components, longer repair turnaround times, higher inventory needs and more expensive fuel.

Still, the market can offer big commercial opportunities for suppliers with stock on hand. Peter van Helden, from AFI KLM E&M, said at MRO Europe that the current environment is a “golden age” for companies that have spare parts available.

The next few months will therefore test the ability of airlines, MRO providers and suppliers to source critical components quickly enough to maintain fleet availability during one of the industry’s most demanding maintenance periods.