Who should read this: Directors of maintenance, parts managers, and quality assurance
personnel responsible for maintaining complete part history records and ensuring traceability
for life-limited and serialized components.Required permission:
maintenance_ops — read to view, update to create and modify
part passport records.Regulatory basis: 14 CFR 91.417 requires owners and operators to keep records of the
current status of life-limited parts. 14 CFR 43.10 establishes disposition requirements for
life-limited aircraft parts. 14 CFR 43.11 requires records for major repairs and alterations
to accompany the part. Advisory Circular 20-62 provides guidance on eligibility, quality, and
identification of aeronautical replacement parts.What Is a Part Passport?
A part passport is a digital record that follows a serialized component from manufacture through every lifecycle event — installation, removal, overhaul, repair, inspection, and transfer — until the part is scrapped or retired. Each event is cryptographically hashed and chained to the previous event, creating a tamper-evident history that satisfies back-to-birth traceability requirements.The Part Passports List
Navigate to Maintenance > Part Passports to see all tracked components. The list shows:Create a Part Passport
Record Lifecycle Events
From the part passport detail page, record events as they occur. Each event type captures specific data:Installation
Record when a part is installed on an aircraft:- Aircraft registration and position
- Hours and cycles at installation
- Installing mechanic and certificate number
- Work order reference
- Supporting documentation (8130-3 Authorized Release Certificate)
Removal
Record when a part is removed:- Reason for removal (scheduled, failure, convenience, life limit)
- Hours and cycles at removal
- Removing mechanic and certificate number
- Work order reference
Overhaul
Record overhaul events from the repair station:- Overhauling facility name and repair station number
- Hours and cycles reset values
- Upload the overhaul release documentation (8130-3 or equivalent)
Repair
Record individual repairs that do not constitute a full overhaul:- Description of the repair performed
- Repairing facility and certificate
- Any changes to operating limits
Inspection
Record periodic inspections of the component:- Inspection type (visual, NDT, operational, functional)
- Findings and disposition
- Inspector certificate number
Transfer
Record when a part moves between inventory locations or is transferred to another operator:- Sending and receiving parties
- Transfer documentation
- Condition at transfer
Each lifecycle event is cryptographically hashed with a reference to the previous event’s hash,
forming a tamper-evident chain. If any historical record is altered, the chain breaks and
PlaneConnection flags the discrepancy during integrity verification.
Part Passport Status Reference
Verify Part History
To verify that a part’s history chain is intact:- Open the part passport detail page
- Click Verify History
- The system recomputes every hash in the chain and compares them to the stored values
- A green checkmark confirms integrity; a red flag indicates a broken chain requiring investigation
Component Tracking
Track TSN, TSO, and life limits for installed components.
Record Integrity
Verify the cryptographic hash chain for all maintenance records.
Manage Work Orders
Link part events to work orders for complete traceability.
Technician Attestations
Verify technician certificates linked to part events.