Aviation Coalition Report Shows Progress Implementing Recommendations to Prevent Unapproved Parts

New Members Join Efforts to Strengthen Aviation Supply Chain Integrity

MONTRÉAL, CANADA - Sept. 25, 2025 - A new report from the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition, an organization formed to prevent unapproved parts from entering the industry, finds that companies are making progress implementing its initial recommendations. The report comes less than one year after the Coalition shared a list of 13 recommended actions.

The Implementation Progress Update, released at the International Civil Aviation Organization's General Assembly, outlines how members and others in the aviation industry have started implementing the report's five short-term recommendations. These recommendations-focused on strengthening vendor accreditation, improving document traceability and verification, and enhancing part traceability-are designed for implementation within two years.

The Implementation Progress Update includes survey data from Coalition members and others in the industry. The data show that:
• 90% of respondents are now using suppliers that meet voluntary accreditation standards.
• Nearly 90% of respondents have strengthened their training, or are in the process of doing so.
• 70% of respondents report having taken action to move toward digital Authorized Release Certificates (ARCs) and other digital document verification tools, with the remaining 30% of respondents stating that they intend to do so in the coming years.
• Cross industry efforts are underway to share information between accreditors and part installers regarding potential risks of counterfeit material. Accreditors are also conducting enhanced competency checks in addition to record reviews.
• Increased cross-industry sharing of best practices is now being undertaken to control scrap material.

"The Coalition didn't stop with the report's release last year-it was just getting started. More work is ahead, but the update shows progress and that lasting change is underway," said coalition co-chair Robert L. Sumwalt, former NTSB chair.

"The progress we've made over the past year is proof that collaboration on aviation safety works and is a must. Preventing unapproved parts requires sustained focus and collective action from every corner of the aviation industry," said coalition co-chair John D. Porcari, former deputy U.S. Transportation Secretary.

The Coalition, which has been meeting throughout the year, also announced the addition of new members this year, including AAR CORP., Aeroxchange Ltd., the Aviation Suppliers Association, and Southwest Airlines, further bolstering industry-wide efforts to implement the recommendations.

The report includes case studies outlining how specific companies are implementing the recommendations. One is how GE Aerospace will deploy a signature validation tool across its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) shops and on-wing support facilities in support of the Coalition recommendation to enhance the integrity of ARCs. This tool verifies the identity, employment, and authority of signatories. It builds on past efforts to digitize key MRO paperwork and use AI to verify that data fields are valid and match other records.

Another case study outlines the presentation StandardAero gave during a Coalition webinar to help others across the industry, especially smaller suppliers, adopt best practices for controlling unserviceable and scrap material.

"GE Aerospace continues to make progress advancing digital tools and processes to strengthen supply chain integrity, but the work is far from over. We remain dedicated to collaborating with industry partners to implement these recommendations and develop innovative solutions," said GE Aerospace Chief Transformation Officer Phil Wickler, one of the coalition's members.

Since releasing its original report last fall, the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition has worked to raise awareness and build support for its recommendations. Efforts include briefing regulators at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board; participating in major industry events such as MRO Americas and the FAA-EASA International Safety Conference; and conducting site visits to Boeing and American Airlines to observe best practices. The Coalition's impact was recognized with Aviation Week's 2025 Grand Laurette Award in the MRO category.

Founding members of the coalition include senior representatives from Airbus, American Airlines, Boeing, Delta Air Lines, GE Aerospace, Safran, StandardAero and United Airlines.