In the aviation industry, “AOG” is a term that gives pilots and maintenance crews headaches just hearing those three letters together. AOG stands for aircraft on ground, a situation in aviation maintenance in which an aircraft has a mechanical issue serious enough to prevent it from flying. This can be due to flat-out mechanical impossibility (the engines cannot start, for instance) or because the safety hazard is too great (the aircraft’s navigation systems are not functioning properly). AOG is technically defined as any discrepancy that grounds an aircraft and is reported within six hours of a normally scheduled departures.
AOGs are typically declared after an A or B-check, which are Federal Aviation Administration-mandated inspections, or before departure when a discrepancy or issue with the aircraft is detected in preflight checks. An AOG is not necessarily a disastrous error or malfunction, and can be something as seemingly innocuous as a broken sensor or other minor cockpit component. However, even a minor mechanical issue is intolerable in a commercial airliner, considering the millions of dollars and hundreds of lives that are dependent on the flight being safe.
The problem with AOGs are not just that they are incredibly inconvenient and frustrating for passengers, but ruinously expensive for airlines as well. It is estimated that a commercial airliner in an AOG situation can cost as much as a million dollars a day in hangar fees, ticket refunds, travel alternatives or expedited hotel costs for passengers, and having to rush a repair crew and parts to the aircraft. In fact, the FAA estimated that in 2007 flight delays due to AOG situations cost airlines roughly 31 billion dollars. These costs and problems mount higher and higher the longer it takes to repair the aircraft.
In an AOG situation, parts and personnel must be flown or driven to the location of the grounded aircraft as quickly as possible. This is typically handled through an internal AOG desk, a dedicated section of the airline carrier or manufacturer, and is manned by personnel specializing in purchasing, hazardous materials shipping, and parts manufacturing and installation. If a company’s internal AOG desk cannot satisfy the issue, they will turn to outside, third-party sources, or the AOG desks of competing airlines to get their aircraft running again.
At ASAP AOG, owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, we can help you with AOG situations for the aerospace, civil aviation, and defense industries. We’re always available and ready to help you find all the parts and equipment you need, 24/7-365. For a quick and competitive quote, email us at sales@asapaog.com or call us at 1-714-705-4780.
