Per 14 CFR §43.13, every part installed on a US civil aircraft must be installed using methods, techniques, and practices acceptable to the FAA — and the part itself must meet the "at least equal to its original or properly altered condition" standard. The first checkpoint where §43.13 is enforced is receiving inspection: the moment an incoming part arrives at the dock and must be matched to a FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag, verified against an approved vendor under 14 CFR §145.109, and stored under the documented materials-handling system required by 14 CFR §145.103. FAA civil penalties under 49 U.S.C. § 46301 reach $37,377 per violation in 2026 (inflation-adjusted annually under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act) — and a single Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) finding under FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D can compound across every aircraft that received a part from the affected lot.
Best aviation parts traceability software in 2026 covers three layers an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector audits during a Part 145 surveillance visit. The first is the sourcing layer — the marketplace and approved-vendor list that selects where parts come from. The second is the receiving inspection layer — the §43.13 workflow that verifies the incoming part against the 8130-3 tag, the §145.109 approved-vendor list, and the 14 CFR §21.9 PMA, TSO, or STC approval evidence. The third is the document-side traceability layer — the 8130-3 tag captured and indexed by serial number, the §145.103 materials-handling storage location and shelf-life record, the §21.9 PMA letter or TSO authorization retained on file, and the cross-fleet serialized parts lineage report on demand for the entire fleet.
The platforms ranked below split between those layers. Aviation parts marketplaces (PartsBase, Inventory Locator Service) handle the sourcing layer at subscription pricing. Per-tail maintenance tracking platforms (CAMP Systems, Veryon/Traxxall) handle the forecasting layer at per-aircraft pricing. Document-side platforms (FileFlo for the §43.13 receiving inspection workflow, §145.103 materials documentation, §145.109 vendor evidence, §21.9 PMA evidence, and SUP quarantine queue under 14 CFR Part 145) handle the document layer at flat-rate pricing. Most repair stations need a platform from each category — and missing the document layer is the most common path to a SUP finding or 8130-3 chain-of-custody gap during a surveillance visit.
Primary regulations cited in this guide: 14 CFR §43.13 (Performance rules — general), 14 CFR §145.103 (Housing, facilities, equipment, materials, and data), 14 CFR §145.109 (Equipment, materials, and data requirements), 14 CFR §21.9 (PMA, TSO, STC parts approval), 14 CFR Part 145 (Repair Stations), and 49 U.S.C. § 46301 (FAA civil penalties). Operational citations: FAA Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) Program and FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D (Detecting and Reporting Suspected Unapproved Parts).
SUP findings are usually documentation problems, not bad parts
The most common SUP findings during a Part 145 surveillance visit, an annual inspection under §91.409, or a §145.103/§145.109 review are administrative failures the right software prevents structurally — missing 8130-3 tag, 8130-3 tag for a different serial number, vendor not on the §145.109 approved-vendor list at the time of receipt, part number with no §21.9 PMA or TSO approval evidence, and chain-of-custody gaps where the part changed hands without a documented transfer. The underlying part was usually approved. The receiving inspection record did not survive the audit.
The 7 Best Aviation Parts Traceability + Receiving Inspection Platforms
Ranked by §43.13 receiving inspection workflow coverage, FAA Form 8130-3 chain-of-custody automation, §145.103/§145.109 materials-handling documentation depth, §21.9 PMA approval evidence retention, SUP quarantine queue support, and value across the parts compliance layers an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector reviews.
FileFlo
Top Pick — Best for 8130-3 + Receiving Inspection Audit TrailBest For
Part 145 repair stations and Part 91/135 operators who need the document-side audit trail behind every incoming serialized part — 8130-3 tag capture, §43.13 receiving inspection record, §145.103 materials-handling documentation, §145.109 approved-vendor evidence, and §21.9 PMA approval retention
Key Feature
AI document classification — routes every uploaded 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag, PMA letter, packing slip, and receiving inspection form to the correct serial number and work order automatically
Parts Focus
Document-side traceability — 8130-3 tag capture indexed by serial number, §43.13 receiving inspection workflow, §145.103 materials-handling location and shelf-life retention, §145.109 vendor evidence, §21.9 PMA letter retention, cross-fleet serialized parts lineage report on demand
Strengths
- AI document classification ties every uploaded 8130-3 tag to the correct serial number and work order automatically
- §43.13 receiving inspection workflow with mandatory part number, serial number, vendor, and approval-evidence fields
- §145.103 materials-handling location, bin/shelf assignment, and shelf-life expiration tracking
- §145.109 approved-vendor list version control with vendor-of-origin record on every incoming shipment
- §21.9 PMA letter, TSO authorization, and STC reference retention indexed by part number
- Quarantine queue for Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) per FAA AC 21-29D with chief inspector review workflow under §145.151
- Cross-fleet serialized parts lineage report — every installed serial number, every 8130-3 tag, every §43.9 entry — generated on demand
- $299/mo flat for unlimited users, documents, and aircraft — no per-tail or per-part-line pricing tax as inventory grows
- 5-day free trial, no credit card required, no annual contract
Limitations
- Not a parts marketplace — pair with PartsBase or Inventory Locator Service (ILS) for actively sourcing parts from the secondary market
- Not a per-tail maintenance forecasting system — pair with CAMP, Veryon, or Flightdocs for projected parts demand against airframe configuration
- No native barcode or RFID stockroom integration (manual or via document upload)
Our take: FileFlo is the purpose-built answer to the document-side parts traceability problem. It handles the 8130-3 tag capture layer, the §43.13 receiving inspection workflow, the §145.103 materials-handling documentation, the §145.109 vendor evidence, the §21.9 PMA evidence retention, and the SUP quarantine workflow under FAA AC 21-29D — exactly what an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector audits during a Part 145 surveillance visit. Most repair stations run one inventory marketplace (PartsBase or ILS), one per-tail tracking platform (CAMP or Veryon), and FileFlo for the document-side audit trail. For a small-to-mid Part 145 station whose primary parts compliance burden is the incoming inspection workflow and the chain-of-custody recordkeeping, FileFlo is the only platform priced and structured for that use case at flat-rate scale.
CAMP Systems
Best for Per-Tail Forecasted Parts DemandBest For
Operators and repair stations whose primary parts compliance need is forecasting per-tail parts demand against airframe configuration, AD compliance, and ICA-prescribed replacement times
Key Feature
Mature per-tail parts forecasting against airframe configuration with automated due-list projection for inspection-driven and replacement-time parts
Parts Focus
Per-tail forecasted parts demand — projects which parts will be needed against the airframe configuration, AD schedule, and ICA replacement-time tables, not the incoming inspection or 8130-3 chain-of-custody record
Strengths
- Industry-leading per-tail parts forecasting with deep airframe and engine configuration databases
- Automated forecasted parts demand against AD schedule and ICA replacement times
- Established Part 135 charter and Part 91 corporate flight department customer base
- Strong integration with CAMP's maintenance tracking module for predicted parts requisitions
Limitations
- Not purpose-built for the §43.13 receiving inspection workflow or 8130-3 tag chain-of-custody record
- Per-aircraft pricing — costly when applied across a growing fleet or high customer-aircraft volume
- No standalone §145.103 materials-handling location workflow or §145.109 approved-vendor list version control
- No SUP quarantine queue independent of the per-tail tracking layer
- Sales-led pricing; annual contracts standard
- No 5-day free trial
Our take: CAMP Systems is the per-tail parts forecasting incumbent. For projecting parts demand against the airframe configuration and the AD/ICA schedule, CAMP is competitive. For the 8130-3 tag capture, §43.13 receiving inspection record, §145.103 materials-handling documentation, and §21.9 PMA evidence retention an FAA inspector audits during a Part 145 surveillance visit, CAMP is oriented to a different compliance layer. Pair CAMP with FileFlo when both layers matter.
Veryon (Traxxall)
Best Post-Merger Per-Tail Tracking + Light Parts InventoryBest For
Operators that want consolidated per-tail tracking, parts forecasting, and light inventory after the 2024 Traxxall + Continuum CMP merger
Key Feature
Consolidated per-tail maintenance tracking + parts forecasting + light inventory from the post-2024 Traxxall + Continuum CMP rebrand
Parts Focus
Per-tail parts forecasting + light inventory tracking — similar per-tail orientation as CAMP plus modest inventory features, not a purpose-built receiving inspection or 8130-3 chain-of-custody system
Strengths
- Post-2024 merger consolidated Traxxall + Continuum CMP into a single suite with broader parts coverage
- Cloud-first architecture with modern UI compared to legacy on-prem MRO systems
- Strong international footprint (EASA + FAA dual-environment) for stations with foreign customers
- Per-tail parts forecasting + maintenance tracking in one stack
Limitations
- Per-aircraft pricing — same structural mismatch as CAMP for document-side traceability use case
- No standalone §43.13 receiving inspection workflow or 8130-3 tag chain-of-custody record
- No §145.103 materials-handling location/shelf-life retention workflow independent of per-tail tracking
- Post-merger integration period creates feature-roadmap uncertainty on parts modules
- Sales-led pricing — no published rates
- Annual contracts standard
Our take: Veryon is the rebranded post-2024 result of the Traxxall + Continuum CMP merger. For per-tail parts forecasting and light inventory across customer aircraft, it is competitive with CAMP. For the 8130-3 tag capture, §43.13 receiving inspection workflow, §145.103 materials documentation, and §21.9 PMA evidence retention an FAA inspector audits, Veryon is the wrong layer of the stack and per-aircraft pricing accelerates the cost mismatch as fleet grows.
PartsBase
Best Aviation Parts Marketplace + Sourcing NetworkBest For
Repair stations and operators that need active sourcing access to the global aviation parts secondary market and a vendor-discovery network
Key Feature
Largest aviation parts marketplace by member count — used by repair stations, operators, and brokers for active sourcing and vendor discovery
Parts Focus
Aviation parts sourcing marketplace — connects buyers with suppliers, supports RFQ workflows, and provides vendor discovery, not a receiving inspection or 8130-3 chain-of-custody traceability platform
Strengths
- Industry-leading aviation parts marketplace with deep vendor network
- RFQ workflows automate the sourcing-side of parts procurement
- Established Part 145 station and operator adoption for secondary-market parts
- Useful complement to a traceability platform — sourcing layer feeds the receiving layer
Limitations
- Not a traceability platform — does not handle §43.13 receiving inspection workflow, 8130-3 tag capture, or §145.103 materials documentation
- Subscription pricing scales with feature tier, not directly tied to receiving volume
- No SUP quarantine queue or §145.109 approved-vendor list version control
- No §21.9 PMA evidence retention or cross-fleet serialized parts lineage report
- Sales-led pricing; no published flat-rate tier for the receiving-inspection use case
Our take: PartsBase is the dominant aviation parts marketplace and a strong sourcing-layer tool. It is not a traceability platform — the document-side workflow that begins when the part arrives at the receiving dock is handled by a different category of software. Use PartsBase for sourcing and FileFlo for the document-side audit trail after the part lands.
Inventory Locator Service (ILS)
Best Legacy Aviation Parts MarketplaceBest For
Repair stations and operators with established workflows around the long-tenured ILS aviation parts marketplace
Key Feature
Long-established aviation parts marketplace with deep historical inventory database and trading-network reputation
Parts Focus
Aviation parts sourcing marketplace — focused on vendor discovery, RFQ workflows, and parts availability search, not a receiving inspection or chain-of-custody traceability system
Strengths
- Long-tenured aviation parts marketplace familiar to a wide swath of Part 145 stations and operators
- Established inventory database with deep historical part-availability records
- Trading-network reputation supports sourcing decisions where vendor track record matters
- Useful complement to a document-side traceability platform for the sourcing layer
Limitations
- Narrow scope — does not handle §43.13 receiving inspection, 8130-3 chain-of-custody, §145.103 materials documentation, or §21.9 PMA evidence retention
- Sales-led pricing without published flat-rate tiers
- No AI document classification or auto-tagging of 8130-3 tags to serial numbers
- No SUP quarantine queue or §145.109 approved-vendor list version control
- No free trial; demo-only sales process
Our take: Inventory Locator Service (ILS) is a focused sourcing marketplace used by repair stations and operators who built workflows around the format. For stations whose primary need is the document-side §43.13 receiving inspection and 8130-3 chain-of-custody record, ILS does not extend to the traceability layer. Pair with FileFlo for the document-side audit trail.
Quantum Control / eMRO (ERP-Style MRO Suites)
Best Enterprise MRO Suite with Inventory + Parts ModuleBest For
Large Part 145 stations, MRO networks, and Part 121 carriers needing a full enterprise MRO ERP with inventory, parts, work orders, and finance integration
Key Feature
Full enterprise MRO suite covering inventory, parts management, work order, finance, and station operations in one ERP-style platform
Parts Focus
Full enterprise inventory + parts module — handles receiving, putaway, picking, kitting, and consumption with deep integration to work order and finance, scaled for large-station and MRO-network operations
Strengths
- Enterprise-grade inventory + parts module with deep integration to MRO work order and finance
- Suited for large Part 145 stations and MRO networks with multi-site inventory
- Configurable receiving inspection workflows and approval-vendor list management
- Used by major MROs and Part 121 carriers for high-volume parts operations
Limitations
- Six-figure annual implementation cost and multi-year deployment typical — structural mismatch for small-to-mid Part 145 stations
- Sales-led pricing; multi-year contracts standard
- Implementation complexity requires dedicated IT and parts-management staff
- No 5-day free trial; demo-only sales process
- AI document classification is not typically a core feature — workflow built around structured data entry
Our take: Quantum Control and eMRO (and similar enterprise MRO suites) are the right answer for large Part 145 stations, MRO networks, and Part 121 carriers with the budget, IT capacity, and parts-management staff to implement and operate an ERP. For small-to-mid Part 145 stations whose primary need is the document-side 8130-3 capture and §43.13 receiving inspection record, the enterprise ERP is overscoped. FileFlo handles the document-side layer at flat-rate scale.
Paper / Spreadsheet / Network Drive
The Status Quo Most Repair Stations Are QuittingBest For
Single-shop A&P/IAs and very small Part 145 stations with low parts receiving volume and a stable approved-vendor list
Key Feature
No software vendor relationship; full local control over the receiving inspection binder
Parts Focus
Whatever the chief inspector or quality manager builds in Excel + a printed receiving inspection binder — vulnerable to 8130-3 tag misfiling, SUP misses, vendor-list version drift, and §43.13 receiving inspection record gaps
Strengths
- Zero software cost
- No vendor lock-in
- Familiar to long-tenured chief inspectors and quality managers
- Works for a single-shop A&P/IA or very small Part 145 station with stable receiving volume
Limitations
- Manual 8130-3 tag filing is error-prone — tags get misfiled, lost, or photographed but never indexed against the serial number
- Vendor-list version drift on paper — approved-vendor list updates do not propagate to receiving-floor inspectors reliably
- §43.13 receiving inspection records often lack required fields (part number, serial number, vendor, approval evidence) for §91.417 audit survival
- No SUP quarantine queue — Suspected Unapproved Parts get released to work orders before chief inspector review under §145.151
- No cross-fleet serialized parts lineage report — every report is a manual roll-up from binders
- Hidden labor cost: a chief inspector spending 6+ hours/week on parts documentation costs more annually than the software
Our take: Paper, spreadsheets, and network drives are the status quo most Part 145 stations are actively quitting in 2026. The hidden labor cost of manual receiving inspection plus the asymmetric downside of a single SUP finding or 8130-3 chain-of-custody gap (up to $37,377/violation under 49 U.S.C. § 46301, plus the §145.103/§145.109 documented-system exposure) makes the status quo more expensive than a flat-rate document-side platform within the first surveillance cycle.
Side-by-Side Comparison
All 7 platforms across the criteria that matter most for aviation parts traceability and receiving inspection: 8130-3 tag management, serial tracking, PMA/SUP verification, receiving inspection workflow, pricing, and free trial.
| Criteria | FileFlo | CAMP | Veryon | PartsBase | ILS | Quantum/eMRO | Paper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform | FileFlo | CAMP | Veryon | PartsBase | ILS | Quantum/eMRO | Paper |
| 8130-3 Tag Mgmt | ✅ AI-indexed by serial | ⚠️ Per-tail context | ⚠️ Per-tail context | ❌ Sourcing only | ❌ Sourcing only | ✅ ERP-managed | ❌ Manual filing |
| Serial Tracking | ✅ Cross-fleet lineage | ✅ Per-tail config | ✅ Per-tail config | ⚠️ Listing-level | ⚠️ Listing-level | ✅ ERP-managed | ❌ Manual |
| PMA/SUP Verification | ✅ §21.9 + AC 21-29D queue | ⚠️ Forecast only | ⚠️ Forecast only | ⚠️ Vendor-side | ⚠️ Vendor-side | ✅ ERP-managed | ❌ Manual |
| Receiving Inspection | ✅ §43.13 + §145.103 workflow | ❌ Out of scope | ⚠️ Light module | ❌ Out of scope | ❌ Out of scope | ✅ Full ERP | ❌ Binder |
| Pricing | $299/mo flat | ~$50–$500/aircraft | Per-aircraft | $1,500–$10,000+/yr | Custom annual | Six-figure annual | $0 + hidden labor |
| Free Trial | ✅ 5 days | ❌ Demo only | ❌ Demo only | ✅ Demo / trial | ❌ Demo only | ❌ Demo only | N/A |
⚠️ = partial or limited support. ❓ = unknown / not published. Data based on vendor documentation as of May 2026 and post-2024 Veryon merger context.
How to Choose the Right Parts Traceability + Receiving Inspection Platform
FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tagging
FAA Form 8130-3 is the Airworthiness Approval Tag that authorizes a part for installation on a US civil aircraft — the operational document referenced in FAA Order 8130.21 (Procedures for Completion of FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag). The 8130-3 tag is the single most-important document in the parts traceability chain: it identifies the part number, the serial number range, the approval basis (production approval, PMA, TSO, STC), the date of approval, and the signature of the FAA-authorized person who issued it. Receiving inspection software must capture every 8130-3 tag (photo, PDF, or structured entry), index the tag against the part number and serial number it covers, and retain the tag indefinitely as part of the §145.103 materials-handling record. Paper-based 8130-3 filing routinely loses tags or misfiles them against the wrong serial number, which becomes a SUP finding the next time an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector audits the receiving documentation under 14 CFR Part 145.
Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) Prevention
The FAA Suspected Unapproved Parts Program is the public-facing framework under which the FAA investigates, dispositions, and publishes findings on parts that fail the 14 CFR §21.9 approval requirement. FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D — Detecting and Reporting Suspected Unapproved Parts — provides the operational guidance repair stations, operators, and A&P/IAs follow when a SUP is identified. SUP prevention is structurally a documentation problem: missing 8130-3 tag, 8130-3 tag for the wrong serial number, vendor not on the §145.109 approved-vendor list at time of receipt, part number with no §21.9 PMA or TSO approval evidence, and chain-of-custody gaps where the part changed hands without a documented transfer. The single highest-leverage SUP prevention capability is the quarantine queue — any incoming part missing one or more required documents is held physically and electronically until the chief inspector under 14 CFR §145.151 reviews and dispositions. FileFlo's AI document classification routes any 8130-3 tag, packing slip, or PMA letter to the correct serial number and flags any missing element to the quarantine queue automatically.
Serialized Parts Lifecycle Tracking
Serialized parts — engines, propellers, life-limited rotables, and any appliance with a serial number — require lifecycle tracking from the moment they enter the receiving dock to the moment they are removed from the airframe and returned to inventory, sent for overhaul, or scrapped. The lifecycle record must include the 8130-3 tag at every status change, the §43.9 maintenance entry that installed the part, the §43.9 entry that removed the part, and the disposition record (returned to service, sent to overhaul, scrapped). Per-tail maintenance tracking platforms (CAMP, Veryon, Flightdocs) hold the per-tail configuration record showing which serial number is currently installed on which aircraft. Document-side platforms (FileFlo) hold the historical lineage record showing every aircraft a given serial number has been installed on, every 8130-3 tag at every transition, and every §43.9 entry along the way. The historical lineage is what an insurance underwriter, prospective buyer, or FAA SUP investigator reviews — and it is what paper-based tracking loses first.
§145.103 Materials Storage Requirements
Per 14 CFR §145.103, a certificated repair station must provide housing, facilities, equipment, materials, and data adequate for performing the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for which it is rated. The "materials" element of §145.103 requires a documented system for receiving, identifying, segregating, and storing parts and materials — environmentally controlled storage for parts with shelf-life limitations, secure quarantine for suspected unapproved parts pending disposition, and physical or electronic segregation between serviceable, unserviceable, and unsalvageable parts. The documented system is what an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector audits during a Part 145 surveillance visit. Software supports §145.103 compliance by capturing the receipt timestamp, the receiving inspector signature, the location of physical storage by bin/shelf/rack, the shelf-life expiration where applicable, and the segregation status of every part — producing the documented materials-handling system §145.103 requires in a form that survives the audit.
§145.109 Approved-Vendor Evidence + §21.9 PMA Retention
Per 14 CFR §145.109, a certificated repair station must have the equipment, tools, and materials necessary to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications — recommended by the manufacturer or at least equivalent and acceptable to the FAA. Operationally, §145.109 forces the repair station to maintain an approved-vendor list and verify that incoming parts come from a vendor on that list. The receiving inspection software cross-references every incoming shipment's vendor against the approved-vendor list, retains the version of the approved-vendor list in effect at the time of receipt, and produces the §145.109 evidence (vendor-of-origin record + 8130-3 tag + approved-vendor list version at time of receipt) an FAA auditor expects to see. Combined with §21.9 PMA letter retention indexed by part number, the document-side platform produces the structural defense against a SUP finding. The hidden labor cost of maintaining this evidence manually plus the asymmetric downside of a single SUP finding (up to $37,377/violation under 49 U.S.C. § 46301) makes the document-side software pay for itself within the first surveillance cycle.
Document-side parts traceability across every incoming serialized part
FileFlo holds the 8130-3 tag capture, §43.13 receiving inspection record, §145.103 materials-handling documentation, §145.109 approved-vendor evidence, §21.9 PMA letter retention, and SUP quarantine queue behind every incoming part — across every aircraft. AI document classification ties every uploaded tag and letter to the correct serial number automatically. $299/month flat for unlimited users and unlimited documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is aviation parts traceability and receiving inspection software?
Aviation parts traceability and receiving inspection software automates the chain-of-custody, FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag management, serial-number lineage tracking, and incoming inspection workflow required by 14 CFR §43.13 (performance rules — general), 14 CFR §145.103 (housing, facilities, equipment, materials, data), and 14 CFR §145.109 (equipment, materials, and data requirements). The software ingests every incoming part shipment, captures the 8130-3 tag photo or PDF, verifies vendor approval against the repair station's approved-vendor list under §145.109, records the serial number against the airframe configuration under which it will be installed, and routes any Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) flag to a quarantine queue per FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D. Every installed serialized part must trace forward to the §43.9 maintenance entry that returned it to service and backward to the 8130-3 tag that authorized its installation.
How does 14 CFR §43.13 apply to receiving inspection?
Per 14 CFR §43.13(a), each person performing maintenance, alteration, or required inspections shall use the methods, techniques, and practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness, or other methods acceptable to the Administrator. Per §43.13(b), each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventive maintenance, shall do that work in such a manner and use materials of such a quality, that the condition of the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance worked on will be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition. Receiving inspection is the first checkpoint where §43.13 applies — every part installed must meet the §43.13(b) "at least equal to original" standard, which means the receiving inspector must verify the part is the correct part number, the correct serial number range if serialized, the correct effectivity for the airframe, and accompanied by the correct 8130-3 tag or equivalent approval evidence before the part can be released to the work order. Software automates the verification chain; paper-based receiving routinely misses one or more of these checkpoints under volume.
What does 14 CFR §145.103 require for parts and materials handling?
Per 14 CFR §145.103, a certificated repair station must provide housing, facilities, equipment, materials, and data adequate for performing the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations for which it is rated. The "materials" element of §145.103 means the repair station must maintain a documented system for receiving, identifying, segregating, and storing parts and materials — including environmentally controlled storage for parts with shelf-life limitations, secure quarantine for suspected unapproved parts pending disposition, and physical or electronic segregation between serviceable, unserviceable, and unsalvageable parts. Receiving inspection software supports §145.103 compliance by capturing the receipt timestamp, the receiving inspector signature, the location of physical storage by bin/shelf/rack, the shelf-life expiration where applicable, and the quarantine status — producing the documented materials-handling system §145.103 requires when an FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector audits the station.
What does 14 CFR §145.109 require for parts approval evidence?
Per 14 CFR §145.109, a certificated repair station must have the equipment, tools, and materials necessary to perform the maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations under its repair station certificate and operations specifications — and the equipment, tools, and materials must be those recommended by the manufacturer or be at least equivalent and acceptable to the FAA. Operationally, §145.109 forces the repair station to maintain an approved-vendor list, verify that incoming parts come from a vendor on that list, and reject (or quarantine) parts from non-approved sources. The receiving inspection software cross-references every incoming shipment's vendor against the approved-vendor list, flags any deviation for chief inspector or quality manager review under §145.151, and produces the §145.109 compliance evidence (vendor-of-origin record + 8130-3 tag + approved-vendor list version at time of receipt) an FAA auditor expects to see during a surveillance visit.
How does 14 CFR §21.9 affect PMA parts and SUP prevention?
Per 14 CFR §21.9, no person may produce a modification or replacement article for sale for installation on a type-certificated product unless that article is produced under an FAA approval (PMA — Parts Manufacturer Approval, TSO authorization, production certificate, or under an STC). §21.9 is the structural reason Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) exist as a category — a part that looks correct but lacks the §21.9 approval evidence is, by definition, unapproved. The FAA Suspected Unapproved Parts Program (SUP Program) maintained at faa.gov is the public-facing reporting and disposition framework for SUP findings. Receiving inspection software supports §21.9 compliance by requiring evidence of PMA, TSO, or STC approval on every incoming serialized part, capturing the PMA letter or TSO authorization document, flagging part numbers without approval evidence to the quarantine queue, and producing the §21.9 evidence trail an FAA inspector or insurance underwriter reviews during a SUP investigation under FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D.
Can FileFlo replace CAMP Systems, PartsBase, or ILS for parts traceability?
CAMP Systems is per-tail maintenance tracking — it forecasts what parts will be needed but does not handle the incoming inspection workflow or the §145.103 materials-handling documentation. PartsBase and Inventory Locator Service (ILS) are inventory marketplaces — they help the repair station source parts but do not handle the receiving inspection, 8130-3 tag capture, or chain-of-custody recordkeeping after the part arrives. Veryon (post-2024 Traxxall + Continuum merger) bundles per-tail maintenance with some parts inventory features but is not purpose-built for the document-side audit trail behind every incoming part. FileFlo handles the document layer at $299/month flat: AI document classification ingests every uploaded 8130-3 tag and routes it to the correct serial number record automatically, §43.13 receiving inspection workflow with mandatory part number, serial number, vendor, and approval-evidence fields, §145.103 materials-handling location and shelf-life tracking, §145.109 approved-vendor list version control, and §21.9 PMA evidence retention. Most repair stations run one inventory marketplace (PartsBase or ILS), one per-tail tracking platform (CAMP or Veryon), and FileFlo for the document-side audit trail.
How much does aviation parts traceability software cost?
Pricing splits into three categories. Inventory marketplaces (PartsBase, Inventory Locator Service) charge subscription fees in the $1,500–$10,000+/year range for sourcing access; they are not traceability platforms. Per-tail maintenance tracking platforms (CAMP Systems, Veryon, Flightdocs) bundle some parts forecasting into per-aircraft pricing of roughly $30–$500/aircraft/month under sales-led annual contracts. ERP-style aviation MRO suites (Quantum Control, eMRO) handle inventory + parts at six-figure annual implementation cost. FileFlo prices at $299/month flat for unlimited users, unlimited documents, and unlimited aircraft — structurally cheaper for any repair station whose primary need is the document-side audit trail (8130-3 tag capture, §145.103 materials documentation, §145.109 vendor evidence, §21.9 PMA evidence) at flat-rate scale. Paper or spreadsheet tracking is $0 in software cost and substantial in hidden labor cost plus asymmetric downside: a single missed SUP finding or 8130-3 traceability gap is a Part 145 violation exposed under 49 U.S.C. § 46301 at up to $37,377 per violation.
What is the Suspected Unapproved Parts (SUP) Program and how does software prevent SUP findings?
The FAA Suspected Unapproved Parts Program is the public-facing framework under which the FAA investigates, dispositions, and publishes findings on parts that fail the §21.9 approval requirement. FAA Advisory Circular AC 21-29D — Detecting and Reporting Suspected Unapproved Parts — provides the operational guidance repair stations, operators, and A&P/IAs follow when a SUP is identified. The most common SUP failure modes are documentation-driven: missing 8130-3 tag, 8130-3 tag for a different serial number, vendor not on the approved-vendor list, part number with no PMA or TSO approval evidence, and chain-of-custody gaps where the part changed hands without a documented transfer. Receiving inspection software prevents these structural failures by requiring the 8130-3 tag upload, the serial number cross-check against the 8130-3 serial range, the vendor cross-check against the §145.109 approved-vendor list, and the §21.9 approval evidence (PMA letter, TSO authorization, or STC reference) — quarantining any part missing one or more elements until the chief inspector under §145.151 reviews and dispositions. Most SUP findings during an FAA surveillance visit are documentation problems the software prevents before the part is released to a work order.
Stop reconstructing the 8130-3 binder the morning of the FAA surveillance visit
FileFlo holds the document-side parts traceability audit trail across every incoming serialized part. 8130-3 tags indexed by serial number, §43.13 receiving inspection records, §145.103 materials-handling documentation, §145.109 approved-vendor evidence, §21.9 PMA evidence retention, and a SUP quarantine queue under FAA AC 21-29D — all for $299/month flat, no contract, no per-user fees, no per-aircraft fees.
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