Each month, search activity across the Locatory.com marketplace provides a timely indication of what airlines, MROs and suppliers are actively sourcing.
Analysis of the most searched and hardest-to-find parts offers an early view of changing demand, emerging availability gaps and the component categories placing the greatest pressure on the aviation aftermarket.
What July Marketplace Activity Reveals
The most-searched list was heavily represented by components for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families.
Among the most frequently searched Airbus components were nose radome assemblies (D53132210000 and D53132110000), elevator servo control (31075-840), a retractable landing light (4315542), flight control unit (C12850AC03) and an integrated drive generator (1706903).
On the Boeing side, high demand parts included high-stage bleed-air valve (3214446-4), hydromechanical unit (442653) for the CFM56-7B, main engine control (8063-214), air starter (3505945-12) and bleed-air precooler (194792-4).
Search activity also extended into cabin, safety and structural systems. Frequently searched components included a main landing gear brake assembly for the A321 (C20534100), oxygen mask (174692-N7), water heater (24E507009G03), A320-family roller shade assembly (170-12155-990), Embraer E170 and E190 vacuum waste generator (14330-375), ELT battery (452-0133), multi-tank indicator (1407KID02-03) and Boeing 767 latch assembly (91049-18).
The breadth of these searches reflects the intensive utilization of mature narrowbody fleets during the summer peak. EUROCONTROL recorded an all-time European network high of 37,659 flights on 24 July 2026. Moreover, during the week of 20 to 26 July, Europe averaged 36,554 daily flights, 3% more than in the same period of 2025. Albania, Georgia, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro, and Türkiye set new national traffic records, while Air Serbia, easyJet, Jet2.com and Turkish Airlines also surpassed daily highs established earlier in the summer.
Mature Engines Continue to Drive Aftermarket Activity
Engine-related hardware formed a major part of the most-searched dataset. The list included CFM56-related hydromechanical and main engine controls (442653, 8063-214 and 8061-536), a stage-one fan blade assembly (338-002-114-0), stage 4-9 compressor spool (2048M20G03), first-stage nozzle segment (340-256-252-0), variable bleed-valve stop mechanism (3282970-5), oil cooler (3200674-2) and fuel-metering unit (FMU702-03).
The pattern confirms that the CFM56 aftermarket remains central to airline operations despite the growth of LEAP and GTF-powered fleets. More than 23,000 CFM56 engines remain in service with over 600 operators, supported by an open MRO network of approximately 40 shops worldwide.
By the beginning of the 2026 peak flying season, the CFM56-7B fleet had accumulated more than 610 million operating hours, while the CFM56-5B had exceeded 334 million hours. That installed-
base scale continues to generate demand across engine controls, accessories, compressor hardware, turbine material and repair capabilities.
IATA identified engine MRO bottlenecks and parts availability as urgent industry issues in June 2026. Its recommendations included expanding approved repair options, improving access for independent MRO providers, aligning maintenance capacity with airline requirements and increasing visibility into delivery delays and repair turnaround times. IATA separately highlighted aftermarket access, supply-chain transparency, digitalization and workforce capacity as priorities for improving aerospace supply performance.
Recent agreements show how airlines and engine manufacturers are attempting to address these requirements. On 18 July, CFM International announced that GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines had each committed more than $1 billion over five years to expand internal MRO, repair and test-cell capacity. CFM also reported that three new Premier MRO providers had joined its network during the preceding 18 months as it prepared for a significant increase in LEAP shop visits.
These investments will expand long-term capacity, but the effect will be gradual. New facilities and repair lines must first secure approvals, tooling, test capability, trained personnel and reliable material supply before they can shorten shop queues or return more engines to service.
GE90 Engine Controls Remain the Clearest Scarcity Signal
The strongest pattern in July’s hardest-to-find dataset was the continued concentration of GE90 and Boeing 777 engine-control equipment, a trend also observed in previous months of Locatory.com marketplace activity.
Five hydromechanical fuel control unit references appeared on July’s hardest to find list (8061-684, 8061-685, 8061-686, 8061-918, and 1693M75P08). It also contained three FADEC references (105E70898G1, 105E70898G2 and 105E70898G3) together with temperature and pressure sensor (0154GF9), check valve (1548-05-12) and oil-level sensor (350-711-801-0).
Recent GE Aerospace disclosures explain this maintenance demand. In May 2026, the manufacturer reported that approximately 70% of the GE90 fleet had not yet undergone a second shop visit. GE said these visits typically involve around 50% more work than first shop visits because they include additional compressor-related maintenance.
GE Aerospace also reported that, over the last 12 months, Commercial Engines & Services internal shop-visit revenue had increased by approximately 30%, while spare-parts revenue had grown by more than 25%. Its second-quarter results continued to show strong services activity.
As more GE90 engines enter heavier second-shop-visit workscopes, demand can spread beyond major modules and life-limited parts to controls, sensors, valves and accessories needed to complete the engine build and return it to service.
Patterns Within the Hardest-To-Find Parts
Beyond the GE90 cluster, July’s hardest-to-find list contained several smaller patterns across Boeing widebodies, regional aircraft and specialist airframe systems.
A smaller cluster concerns the Boeing 787. A fuel height temperature sensor (20301-0134), an environmental control system air outflow valve assembly (623Z1060-180), and a rivet (CR3524EE-6-04) all appear on the shortages list.
Other widebody-related entries included a Boeing 767 fuel-system connecting assembly (CN1156-732) and a Boeing 747 aluminum retainer (65B10920-609). For mature widebody fleets, sourcing difficulty can arise even where total demand is lower than for A320-family or 737 parts. Smaller active populations, reduced production frequency and dependence on repair or teardown channels can make specific part numbers disproportionately difficult to locate.
A strap assembly (BA670-00001N3703) and a landing gear door component (CC670-33151-6S), both compatible with the Bombardier CRJ family, appear on the hardest-to-find list. Components for regional types typically draw on a smaller installed base and a narrower pool of interchangeable stock than mainline narrowbody or widebody types, which increases the likelihood that a specific part number becomes difficult to source even without any wider market disruption.
The list also contained a CFM56-5 fuel-cooled oil cooler case assembly (34831-1583), starter valve assembly (350-708-806-0), tube assembly (113T1910-90), cable assembly (284T1015-1), ball rotor (2923151-102), filter assembly (612C3504-001), main power supply (10074910-114), switch (90-48401-7), electrical receptacle (DC22E12-10P), pressure gauge (GP12-127), water faucet assembly (AR9030-3D7D492), literature pocket assembly (F0426595) and multiple brackets, retainers, bearings and seal attachments.
Connections to Current Fleet Developments
The concentration of narrowbody components in the most-searched dataset reflects the continuing gap between airline fleet requirements and the number of new aircraft manufacturers can deliver.
Airbus delivered 351 commercial aircraft during the first half of 2026, including 271 A320-family aircraft. It ended the first half of 2026 with an order backlog above 9,200 aircraft and roughly ten and a half years of production coverage at current delivery rates.
Boeing delivered 314 commercial aircraft during the same period, including 243 737s, 15 777s and 40 787s. Its total company backlog reached a record $715 billion, including more than 6,200 commercial aircraft.
With new aircraft arriving well short of what airlines would prefer, CFM56-powered A320ceo and B737NG fleets are continuing to fly for longer than originally planned. That extended utilization sustains demand for accessories, pneumatic units, controls, rotating hardware and used serviceable material. It also increases exposure to heavier shop visits as engines accumulate additional hours and cycles.
The Boeing 787 parts appearing in the hardest-to-find list reflect a different stage of the fleet lifecycle. Early-build Dreamliners are now reaching their 12-year heavy maintenance threshold, while the secondary market for 787 material remains less developed.
Moreover, the aviation industry continues to face a shortage of certified maintenance technicians, with many experienced workers approaching retirement. This is extending repair turnaround times across both narrowbody and widebody fleets, even when parts are available. Peak summer utilization, with global load factors at record levels, has compounded the effect, leaving less operational slack to absorb any single component delay.
Engine Growth Is Putting Pressure on MRO Capacity
The Farnborough International Airshow demonstrated the scale of future engine demand.
CFM announced a record agreement with IndiGo for more than 1,000 LEAP-1A engines to power 510 A320neo-family aircraft. The agreement also included the development of additional MRO capability for IndiGo’s expanding fleet.
During the show, GE Aerospace and CFM recorded commitments for approximately 1,800 engines, while Pratt & Whitney said it had received more than 800 GTF orders since the start of 2026, taking the GTF backlog above 8,000 engines.
These orders create a large future requirement for overhaul capacity, spare engines, component repair, tooling, test cells and qualified technicians.
However, it will not instantly remove present demand for CFM56 or GE90 material. The aircraft and engines ordered at Farnborough will enter service progressively over several years. In the meantime, airlines still depend on existing A320ceo, 737NG and 777 fleets to operate their schedules.
Expanding MRO capacity requires both capital investment and higher productivity from existing facilities. Pratt & Whitney is investing more than $100 million to expand three MRO facilities in the United States to increase engine-maintenance capacity. GE Aerospace, meanwhile, reported a 20% reduction in CFM56 turnaround time at its Wales facility and more than a 10% year-on-year improvement across LEAP, CFM56 and GE90 work during the fourth quarter.
Outlook for the Coming Months
As the summer flying peak gradually turns attention to the autumn maintenance period, procurement demand is likely to shift. Airlines and MROs will move from protecting peak-season dispatch reliability towards preparing for scheduled inspections, engine removals, winter maintenance inputs and heavier shop visits.
The hours and cycles accumulated during peak operations will show up in the aftermarket as scheduled material demand.
Procurement teams should therefore begin securing critical rotables, confirming repair capacity and reviewing exchange-pool exposure before autumn demand intensifies. Particular attention should be given to components with limited interchangeability, long repair turnaround times or repeated appearance in hard-to-find searches. Locatory.com