#United States #Plano #Boeing #Southwest Airlines #Aeroxchange

Boeing and Partners Set a New Standard for Parts Authentication

The aerospace industry has reached a significant milestone with Boeing's successful completion of a parts shipment that is accompanied by the industry's first-ever digital 8130-3 certificate. This groundbreaking achievement, realized in collaboration with Southwest Airlines (SWA) and Aeroxchange Ltd., marks a transformative moment in supply chain security for aircraft parts and components.

The digital 8130-3 certificate is an electronic version of the longstanding FAA-governed authorized release certificate, designed to certify the airworthiness of aircraft parts. This shift from traditional paper documentation to a secure, encrypted digital file plays a critical role in preventing unauthorized spare parts from entering the aerospace aftermarket, effectively enhancing safety protocols across the industry.

William Ampofo, senior vice president of Parts Distribution and Supply Chain at Boeing Global Services, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, "This industry-first shipment reflects Boeing's dedication to pursuing game-changing solutions through teamwork and partnership. Together with Southwest Airlines and Aeroxchange, we are transforming how the industry ensures part authenticity and supply chain security."

The completion of this first digital shipment involved a battery that was serviced at Boeing's product repair services center located in Davie, Florida. Utilizing the Aeroxchange eARC™ platform, this shipment represented the inaugural use of the electronic form to confirm the authenticity and airworthiness of the part as it arrived at Southwest Airlines' Dallas facility.

Landon Nitschke, senior vice president of Technical Operations with Southwest Airlines, expressed pride in their partnership in this digital transition, stating, "The security benefit of electronic forms aligns with Southwest's value of a Safety-first culture and will be of significant benefit in the aviation industry."

Further enhancing the significance of this achievement, Al Koszarek, president and CEO of Aeroxchange, remarked: "Aeroxchange is honored to have partnered with Boeing and Southwest Airlines to transmit this first-ever eARC document providing a highly secure, verifiable digital record of the Authorized Release Certificate, Form 8130-3." He noted that this landmark event represents a crucial step towards preventing unapproved parts from infiltrating the aviation supply chain.

The new digital 8130 certificate incorporates advanced security measures including X.509 security protocols, public/private key encryption, and blockchain-ready formats. This combination creates an immutable and verifiable record of part authenticity throughout its lifecycle, a feature that promises robustness against fraud and enhances reliability in aviation maintenance processes.

Boeing plans to expand the implementation of digital 8130 certificates across all nine of its product repair service centers, each of which is expected to receive FAA authorization for utilizing electronic recordkeeping systems, electronic signatures, and electronic manuals. The heightened use of digital authorized release certificates was highlighted as a crucial recommendation from the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition (ASCIC), a collaborative effort aimed at safeguarding the aviation supply chain.

As a leading global aerospace company and a major exporter in the U.S., Boeing is committed to developing innovative solutions. The company is continuously focused on sustainability, community impact, and adhering to core values of safety, quality, and integrity across its operations. This advancement not only signifies progress within Boeing but reaffirms the importance of collaboration within the industry to maintain high standards of safety and reliability.

With this landmark achievement, Boeing and its partners are not only setting a new benchmark in the aerospace industry, but they are also paving the way for future enhancements in supply chain transparency and integrity, ultimately contributing to a safer aviation environment for all.