Used vs New Aircraft Parts

“Used” on an aircraft part is not the same as “used” on any other product. A properly tagged, serviceable used part carries a paper trail at least as thorough as a new one, and for some components it is the only economically sensible option. For others, used is a false economy.

Read the tag first

Every part offered to the certified GA market should arrive with an 8130-3. The block-3 field tells you what status the part is in:

• New — new production, 8130-3 with the “Approved” block checked.
• Overhauled — disassembled, inspected, replaced-as-needed, tested, and reassembled to the manufacturer’s overhaul manual. Zero-time the overhauled assembly.
• Repaired — specific defect corrected, but not a full overhaul.
• Inspected — a serviceability check only; no teardown.
• Yellow tag / serviceable — legacy term; now captured under the 8130-3 inspected or repaired classification.

Life-limited and cycle-tracked parts

Some components are life-limited by calendar, hours, or cycles — propeller blades, certain turbine hot-section parts, some rotor-craft dynamic components. A used life-limited part arrives with documented time-since-new and time-remaining. Never buy a life-limited part without a complete trace.

When used is the right call

• Out-of-production airframe panels, trim pieces, interior hardware.
• Older avionics for a legacy panel where a certified yellow-tagged unit runs 40–70% below new.
• Non-structural accessories: cowlings, fairings, wheel pants, fiberglass tips.
• Engine accessories that come with a fresh overhaul tag — starters, alternators, vacuum pumps.

When new is worth the premium

• Any part that is primary structure or carries flight-critical load.
• Cylinders — a new cylinder from Superior or Continental outperforms an overhauled one of unknown history at not much more cost.
• Brake linings, tire tubes, seals, hoses, O-rings — consumables where the install cost dwarfs the part cost.
• Anything under active AD where SB compliance is tied to part-production-date.

Documentation AAP ships with every part

8130-3 where the regulation requires it, Certificate of Conformance where appropriate, manufacturer packaging with lot and serial numbers where supplied, and electronic copies of all documents emailed with every order. If you do not see a document you need, ask before the part ships.