Aircraft part condition codes
Every listing on an aviation parts marketplace carries a two-letter condition code. It tells you whether the part is new or has flown, what has been done to it since, and what paperwork you should expect with it. The codes are industry convention rather than regulation, so sellers differ a little at the edges; the definitions below are the ones most of the market uses, and the ones we use on PartsAndPlanes.
NENew
Never installed, never used. Bought from the manufacturer or an authorized distributor, usually within the manufacturer's shelf-life window.
Paperwork to expect: Manufacturer's certificate of conformance (C of C), or an FAA 8130-3 / EASA Form 1 for new production, plus trace to the OEM or distributor.
FNFactory New
Same as NE in most listings: new from the factory with full trace. Some sellers use FN for parts straight from the OEM and NE for new parts from a distributor; ask which they mean.
Paperwork to expect: OEM C of C or 8130-3 and the invoice trail back to the manufacturer.
NSNew Surplus
New and never installed, but it left the manufacturer's supply chain: excess operator stock, a closed program, a liquidation. May be older than the shelf-life window and the OEM trace may be incomplete.
Paperwork to expect: Whatever trace the seller has; often a C of C from the last owner and a shop inspection tag. Ask for the age of the part and shelf-life status if it has one.
OHOverhauled
Disassembled, cleaned, inspected, repaired as needed, reassembled and tested to the component maintenance manual by a certificated repair station. Restored to overhaul limits, which is the highest standard for a used part.
Paperwork to expect: FAA 8130-3 (often a dual release with EASA), a teardown or shop report, and trace to the last operator.
SVServiceable
Inspected, tested, and if necessary repaired, and found airworthy. Less than an overhaul: it meets serviceable limits, not overhaul limits. Includes parts that were tested and found to need no work.
Paperwork to expect: FAA 8130-3 or EASA Form 1 for the inspection or repair, plus trace.
RPRepairable
Removed from an aircraft and known to need repair before it can go back into service. Sold as-is; the buyer pays for the shop visit. Priced accordingly.
Paperwork to expect: Removal tag or the reason for removal, and trace to the aircraft it came off.
ARAs Removed
Taken off an aircraft with no inspection or work done since. Condition unknown: it might test serviceable, it might need overhaul. Cheapest way to buy, riskiest way to buy.
Paperwork to expect: Removal tag with the aircraft registration or serial, hours and cycles if the seller has them, and a reason for removal.
INInspected / Tested
Bench-tested or inspected and found within limits, with no repair performed. Some sellers fold this into SV.
Paperwork to expect: Shop inspection report and an 8130-3 where the shop is rated for it.
RBRebuilt
A specific FAA term: disassembled, cleaned, inspected, repaired, reassembled and tested to the same tolerances as a new part, and only by the manufacturer or a facility it approves. Rarely seen on component listings; common on engines.
Paperwork to expect: Manufacturer's rebuild documentation; for engines the logbook entry restarting time since new.
USUsed
Catch-all for a part with service time whose current state is not specified. Treat as AR unless the seller says otherwise.
Paperwork to expect: Ask.
Three things the code does not tell you
Trace. A code says what was done to the part; it says nothing about where it has been. Ask for the chain of ownership back to an operator, the OEM or a distributor. A serviceable part with no trace is worth less than an as-removed part with a clean history, and many operators will not accept it at all.
Who signed the tag. An 8130-3 is only as good as the repair station that issued it. Check the certificate number and the ratings on it against the work claimed.
Life limits. Overhauled does not mean zero-time. For life-limited parts, ask for hours, cycles and time since overhaul, and read the back-to-birth records before you buy.
Searching by condition on PartsAndPlanes
Search any part number and the results show each seller's condition code next to the price and quantity, so you can compare an OH unit against an NS unit for the same number side by side. Listings also carry the seller's traceability note and, where the part has one, its NSN and the government's purchase history.
Sellers: the condition code you choose when listing is what buyers filter on. If you are unsure between two codes, choose the lower one and describe the work in the traceability field.