Reference

The aviation records glossary

Plain-language definitions of the records, USM, and platform terms you will meet across aviation asset management. Twenty-eight terms, A to Z.

AFRA (Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association): An international association that develops best practices for the safe disassembly of end-of-life aircraft and engines and the responsible recovery of parts and materials. AFRA accredits facilities against its standards and is a partner in the AFRA-CAAC Registry program.
AFRA BMP (Best Management Practice): AFRA's published guidance and accreditation standard for aircraft disassembly and parts and material recycling, covering how parts are removed, tagged, and documented at teardown. Facilities accredited to the AFRA BMP follow a consistent, auditable process for end-of-life work.
AFRA-CAAC Registry: A registry of disassembled-parts records created when aircraft are torn down at accredited facilities, supporting cross-border used-parts traceability between the US and China. The program operates in a voluntary participation phase under CAAC Advisory Circular AC-145-FS-017 R1. Block Aero is the implementation partner of the AFRA-CAAC Registry and the only overseas compliant parts management platform for the program.
Authorized Release Certificate (FAA Form 8130-3 / EASA Form 1 / CAAC AAC-038): An airworthiness release document issued by an approved organization to certify that a part has been produced or maintained in conformity with approved data and is eligible for installation or return to service. The FAA Form 8130-3, EASA Form 1, and CAAC AAC-038 are the equivalent forms used in their respective jurisdictions.
Aviation Blockchain Network (ABN): The shared, permissioned network Block Aero operates so that approved aviation organizations can record and exchange asset records as tamper-evident, time-stamped entries. The ABN is the foundation beneath digital passports, the Trust List, and the platform's data-sharing features.
Back-to-Birth (BTB) Traceability: A complete, unbroken records trail for a part from its original manufacture through every install, removal, repair, and ownership change to the present day. Back-to-birth traceability is typically required to establish the remaining life and value of life-limited and other tracked parts.
Blockchain Aviation Asset (BAA) / Digital Passport: Block Aero's digital record for an individual asset, whether an aircraft, engine, or part, that gathers its identity, documents, and history into a single verifiable profile on the network. The BAA, or digital passport, lets an owner share proof of an asset's records without handing over the originals.
CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China): The civil aviation authority of the People's Republic of China, responsible for regulating airworthiness, operations, and maintenance organizations within China. CAAC issues the advisory circulars and forms (such as AAC-038) referenced in the AFRA-CAAC Registry program.
CCAR-145: The China Civil Aviation Regulation governing approved maintenance organizations, the CAAC equivalent of FAA Part 145 and EASA Part-145. A CCAR-145 approval authorizes an organization to perform and release specified maintenance on aircraft and components.
Chain of Custody: The documented sequence of who held, handled, or owned a part and its records over time. A clear chain of custody helps a buyer or inspector trust that records belong to the part in front of them and have not been substituted or lost.
Data Package Creation: Assembling the documents and records for an asset, including certificates, trace, and history, into an organized, shareable package for a sale, audit, or return to service. Block Aero supports Data Package Creation so the right records can be presented and verified together.
Data Sharing Specification (DSS): Block Aero's structured specification for organizing and exchanging asset records consistently across organizations, scoped to 108 document types. The DSS gives the network a common vocabulary, so records mean the same thing to the party sending them and the party receiving them.
Digital Asset Manager: Block Aero's core product, offered on a monthly or annual subscription, for digitizing, organizing, and securely sharing the records behind your aviation assets. It is the day-to-day home for an organization's digital passports and document packages.
Dismantle Parts Tag: A tag generated when a part is removed during disassembly that records the part's identity and the teardown event for traceability purposes. A Dismantle Parts Tag is not an Authorized Release Certificate: it does not replace an FAA Form 8130-3, EASA Form 1, or CAAC AAC-038 and does not by itself make a part eligible for installation.
EOL (End of Life) Aircraft / Engine: An aircraft or engine that has been retired from service and is destined for disassembly, parts recovery, and recycling rather than continued operation. End-of-life assets are the source of much of the industry's used serviceable material.
ESN (Engine Serial Number): The unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer to an individual engine, used to track that engine's records, time, and cycles throughout its life. Example format: ESN-733142.
FSCAP (Flight Safety Critical Aircraft Part): A part whose failure could cause loss of the aircraft or a catastrophic outcome, and which is therefore subject to heightened traceability and handling controls. FSCAP status raises the bar for the records that must accompany the part.
ICAO Trust Framework: A model promoted by the International Civil Aviation Organization for establishing trusted, secure exchange of aviation data between parties and systems. It informs how digital identity and verifiable records can be shared safely across organizations and borders.
ILS (Marketplace): Inventory Locator Service, a long-established online marketplace where the aviation industry lists and sources parts, components, and services. Sellers using Block Aero's openAPI Integration Services can attach immutable links to on-chain proof of ownership when listing assets on marketplaces such as ILS.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022: The international standard for information security management systems. Block Aero is certified to ISO/IEC 27001:2022 by the Aviation Suppliers Association Certification Body under Certificate BLOC-001-06-26-27, issued 11 June 2026 and valid through 10 June 2029.
LLP (Life-Limited Part): A part with a mandatory maximum operating life, usually expressed in flight cycles or hours, after which it must be removed from service and cannot be overhauled back into use. Accurate back-to-birth records are essential to prove how much life an LLP has remaining.
MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number / Aircraft): The unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer to an individual airframe, fixed for the life of the aircraft regardless of registration changes. Example format: MSN-29481.
openAPI Integration Services: Block Aero's set of APIs that let external systems and marketplaces connect to the network, for example to publish or verify proof of ownership programmatically. They allow partners to weave verified records into their own workflows.
PART (Dismantled Part Registry Record): The registry record that represents an individual dismantled part recovered during disassembly, capturing its identity and teardown details for traceability. A PART record documents provenance; it is not an airworthiness release and does not replace an Authorized Release Certificate.
Proof of Ownership: Verifiable evidence on the network that a given organization holds title to an asset at a point in time, which can be shared with buyers or marketplaces without exposing the underlying documents. It lets a counterparty confirm ownership in minutes rather than chasing paperwork.
Registry Manager / Registry as a Service: Block Aero's add-on product, Registry as a Service, for organizations that need to operate a structured registry of asset or parts records, such as a disassembly registry. It extends the core Digital Asset Manager with registry-specific capabilities.
Trust List: The curated list of approved organizations and identities recognized on the Aviation Blockchain Network, so that participants know who they are exchanging records with. The Trust List underpins confidence in every record's origin.
USM (Used Serviceable Material): Parts and materials that have been previously installed, removed in serviceable condition, and made available for reuse, typically harvested from end-of-life aircraft and engines. The value and saleability of USM depend heavily on the quality of its accompanying records.