How AOG parts delivery works
Most descriptions of AOG delivery stop at "we collect it and drive it there". This is the fuller version: what has to happen before anyone calls a courier, what a dispatcher actually needs to know, what a driver does at the collection point, and which phase of the whole process really consumes the time.
- Six things must be settled before a courier is useful — and release is the one that most often is not
- The first two minutes of the call determine most of what follows
- Jobs fail at collection for three recurring reasons, all avoidable
- Packaging is the sender's responsibility and cannot be compensated for by the carrier
- Most of the elapsed time is spent locating and releasing the part, not driving it
Before anyone calls a courier
By the time a transport provider is contacted, several things have already happened — and if any of them is incomplete, the vehicle will arrive to find nothing it can collect.
| Step | What it settles |
|---|---|
| 1. The fault is diagnosed | The engineer identifies which component has failed and what will replace it |
| 2. The part is identified | Part number, and crucially whether an interchangeable or alternate part is acceptable |
| 3. The part is located | Own stores, another station, an exchange pool, a supplier, or the open market |
| 4. It is confirmed serviceable | With valid certification — a part without paperwork cannot be fitted |
| 5. It is released | Stores issue it, or a supplier confirms sale or loan terms, or a handling agent releases imported freight |
| 6. Someone authorises the movement | A purchase order, an account, or an on-the-spot commitment to pay |
The call itself
What gets said in the first two minutes determines most of what follows. The information a dispatcher actually needs is narrower than people expect, but each item changes the plan.
| What is asked | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Where is the part now | Full address plus a site contact. "Heathrow" or "our stores" is not a collection point |
| Where must it go | The facility, hangar or handover point, with a named person who will receive it |
| Dimensions and weight | Determines the vehicle. A wheel assembly and an avionics box need different vans |
| How is it loaded | Whether a tail-lift or lifting equipment is needed — at both ends |
| The deadline | The moment it must be on site, not the date. This is what the run is planned backwards from |
| Dangerous goods status | Lithium batteries, oxygen generators and aerosols are common and must be declared |
| Release status | Particularly for cargo collections — is the freight actually available to hand over |
A dispatcher should also tell you something back: whether your deadline is achievable. An honest "that is not possible by road, here is what is" is more useful at this point than an optimistic yes, because you still have time to arrange something else.
Choosing the vehicle and dispatching
| Vehicle matched to the part | Not to whatever happens to be free. Dimensions, weight and loading method decide it |
|---|---|
| Assigned to one job | On a dedicated movement the vehicle carries your consignment and nothing else |
| Departs on confirmation | There is no cut-off to meet, because the vehicle exists for this job |
| Driver briefed | Collection contact, handling requirements, what to check on the paperwork |
| Contact shared | You get the driver's number so you are not relaying through an office |
At the collection point
This is where jobs most often go wrong, and almost always for the same three reasons.
| What the driver does | What can stop it |
|---|---|
| Presents at the site and identifies the consignment | The site has not been told anyone is collecting |
| Checks the paperwork against the item | Certification missing, or details do not match |
| Confirms it is the right part and quantity | Wrong item picked, or fewer pieces than expected |
| Loads and secures it | No lifting equipment available, or the item is larger than described |
| Records proof of collection | — |
Packaging is the sender's job and it matters more than people think. Anti-static bags, foam inserts and proper containers are what actually protect a component in transit. A careful carrier keeps that packaging intact, secures the item and does not interfere with it — but cannot compensate for an avionics unit handed over in a cardboard box with no protection.
In transit
| Direct routing | No depot, no sortation, no other collections or drops on the way |
|---|---|
| One custody | The driver who collects is the driver who delivers — the consignment is not handed between people |
| Paperwork stays with the part | Certification cannot be separated from the component in a sorting process, because there is no sorting process |
| Updates through the run | So the engineering desk can answer "where is it?" without guessing |
| Redirectable | If the aircraft moves stand, changes facility or is repositioned, the vehicle can be sent to the new location |
| Drivers' hours apply | On long runs this is a real constraint, and is why a two-driver crew is sometimes the only way to meet a deadline |
Delivery and handover
| To a named contact | Not to a building. On a large site with multiple access points, the receiving person is the delivery address |
|---|---|
| Landside handover | Most couriers, including RushXO, deliver to the facility rather than to the aircraft itself. Movement beyond a security boundary is arranged by the operator or handling agent |
| Proof of delivery | Who received it and when, confirmed back to the person who booked |
| Documentation handed over | Certification passed with the part, so the engineer can fit and sign |
| Return leg if needed | The removed unit can often be collected on the same visit and taken to overhaul |
The two-way movement is underrated. Delivering the serviceable unit and collecting the unserviceable one in the same trip saves a second job, and starts the core return or overhaul clock immediately rather than whenever someone gets round to arranging shipping.
A realistic timeline
Times vary enormously with distance and hour, so treat this as a shape rather than a promise.
| Phase | What drives the duration |
|---|---|
| Fault to part identified | Diagnosis time, and whether an alternate part is acceptable |
| Part located and released | Often the longest phase, particularly for imports awaiting clearance |
| Booking to vehicle dispatched | Short — a dedicated vehicle leaves when the job is confirmed |
| Drive to collection | Distance from the nearest suitable vehicle to the part |
| Time at collection | Minutes at a well-prepared site; potentially hours at a cargo shed with unfinished paperwork |
| Transit | Distance, traffic and drivers' hours |
| Handover | Minutes, if a named contact is expecting the vehicle |
How RushXO helps
RushXO runs AOG movements on the model described above: one vehicle, one consignment, direct from collection to delivery, with dispatch staffed 24 hours a day.
| Release checked before dispatch | Wherever possible, so a vehicle is not sent to a site that cannot hand anything over |
|---|---|
| Vehicle matched to the part | Tell us dimensions, weight and loading needs and the right van is sent first time |
| Driver contact shared | Speak to the driver directly rather than relaying through an office |
| Two-way movements | Deliver the serviceable unit and collect the core in a single job |
| Proof at both ends | Proof of collection and proof of delivery, confirmed back to you |
See our AOG courier page for the full service, aircraft parts delivery for handling by part type, and Heathrow cargo collection for the documentation side of cargo releases.
We do not advertise airside access, aviation security accreditations, temperature-controlled transport or guaranteed response times, and we are not a customs broker.
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Frequently asked questions
What information does a courier need to start an AOG job?
Collection address with a site contact, delivery point with a named recipient, part dimensions and weight, what lifting equipment is available at each end, the moment it must be on site, dangerous goods status, and whether the part has actually been released for collection.
Why do you ask whether the part has been released?
Because a part that physically exists but has not been released cannot be handed to a driver. Clearance may be incomplete, charges may be outstanding, or the handling agent may not have been told who is collecting. Sending a vehicle into that situation produces a waiting charge and no part.
Who is responsible for packaging?
The sender. Anti-static bags, foam inserts and proper shipping containers are what protect a component in transit. A careful carrier keeps that packaging intact and secures the item, but cannot compensate for a unit handed over without protection.
Does the paperwork travel with the part?
On a dedicated movement, yes. Because the consignment is not sorted or consolidated, certification cannot become separated from the component it certifies. That matters because a part without its paperwork cannot be fitted.
Can the vehicle be redirected mid-journey?
Yes, on a dedicated job. If the aircraft moves stand, changes facility or is repositioned entirely, the vehicle can be sent to the new location. That is very difficult once an item is inside a parcel network.
Can you collect the removed unit at the same time?
Usually yes. Delivering the serviceable unit and collecting the unserviceable one on the same visit saves a second job and starts the overhaul or core return process immediately.
Where does the time actually go in an AOG delivery?
Typically into locating and releasing the part, and into waiting at the collection point if paperwork is unfinished. The drive itself is often the most predictable phase, which is why focusing only on a carrier's speed misses where the delay usually is.
What happens at handover?
The consignment is handed to your named contact, the certification is passed with it, and proof of delivery is recorded and confirmed back to whoever booked. Most couriers deliver to the facility rather than to the aircraft; movement beyond a security boundary is arranged by the operator or handling agent.