Survey finds aging GA fleet driving parts supply strain

A survey of general aviation maintenance professionals has found widespread concern over the availability and cost of aircraft parts, a problem tied closely to the age of the fleet still in service.

The 2026 General Aviation Parts Survey, conducted by TBX, gathered responses from mechanics, shop owners and directors of maintenance. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they expect the parts supply situation to worsen in the near term.

According to the survey, the average certified piston aircraft is now 53 years old. Many maintenance shops are therefore servicing airplanes designed long before current parts and supply-chain systems existed. As manufacturers discontinue certain products and suppliers consolidate or exit the market, sourcing replacement parts and the paperwork needed to install them has become harder, the survey found.

Pricing and lead times were flagged as major pain points. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they were unhappy with parts pricing, while 59% cited dissatisfaction with how long parts take to arrive.

Beyond wait times, maintenance staff reported spending considerable effort simply locating correct part numbers, searching inventories and identifying substitutes before working through options with owners. Improved access to technical documentation, such as illustrated parts catalogs, was named as the change most likely to ease the burden.

The survey also noted differences by shop size. Smaller operations reported drawing on a broader mix of sources, including original equipment manufacturer parts, PMA-approved alternatives, salvage components and owner-produced parts. Larger shops and those focused on turbine aircraft leaned more heavily on OEM parts alone.