Aerospace Logistics & AOG Freight
Every hour an aircraft stays on the ground is an hour it isn't generating revenue. Aircraft don't wait for freight.
When an aircraft is grounded because a critical component isn't where it needs to be, the impact spreads quickly. Flight schedules change. Crews are rescheduled. Passengers are rebooked. Connecting flights are affected. Maintenance windows become tighter. Every hour the aircraft remains out of service increases operational costs.
For most AOG events, the replacement part isn't the expensive part of the problem. Downtime is.
BMA Express provides dedicated expedited transportation for airlines, aerospace manufacturers, MRO providers, OEM suppliers, and aviation service companies across the United States and Canada. Whether moving an aircraft component across town or coordinating an urgent cross-country shipment, every move is planned around one question:
When does the aircraft return to service?
Why AOG logistics is different
Aircraft on Ground (AOG) transportation isn't simply expedited freight. Success isn't measured by when the shipment reaches an airport or distribution center. It's measured by when the maintenance team has the part in hand and can begin returning the aircraft to service.
That changes every transportation decision.
Some shipments move fastest by dedicated ground transportation. Others require next-flight-out air. Many involve both—moving by air to the destination airport before immediate recovery and final delivery to the maintenance facility.
Every shipment is planned around the earliest realistic arrival at the aircraft, not simply the fastest transportation mode.
Unlike standard freight, AOG logistics often involves multiple parties working simultaneously:
- Airlines
- Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) facilities
- Aerospace manufacturers
- OEM suppliers
- Airport cargo facilities
- Customs agencies
- Ground transportation providers
Coordinating those handoffs quickly is often just as important as moving the shipment itself.
What we move
BMA Express supports expedited transportation for a wide range of aerospace shipments, including emergency AOG events, scheduled maintenance, manufacturing support, and critical supplier deliveries.
We regularly transport:
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Aircraft components
Replacement parts needed to return aircraft to service, including flight controls, hydraulic components, avionics, landing gear assemblies, engine accessories, electrical systems, and structural components.
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Rotables
High-value repairable components that cycle between aircraft, maintenance facilities, and overhaul providers.
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Engine and maintenance equipment
Tooling, fixtures, calibration equipment, testing equipment, and specialized maintenance tools required during scheduled or unscheduled maintenance.
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Ground support equipment
Equipment required to support aircraft servicing, maintenance operations, and airport ground handling.
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Manufacturing components
Critical aerospace parts moving between suppliers, production facilities, and assembly operations where production schedules cannot absorb transportation delays.
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Aircraft interior components
Seats, cabin equipment, galley components, emergency equipment, and replacement interior assemblies required before an aircraft can return to service.
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Emergency replacement inventory
Critical spare parts moving between distribution centers, airlines, maintenance bases, and airports.
Every shipment moves on equipment selected for the required arrival time rather than simply the shipment size.
Our aerospace logistics services
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Aircraft on Ground (AOG) Recovery
When an aircraft is grounded, transportation begins immediately after shipment details are confirmed. Dedicated vehicles move directly from pickup to destination without unnecessary transfers, while longer-distance shipments can be coordinated through next-flight-out air when required.
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Next-Flight-Out (NFO) Coordination
Some AOG events require transportation beyond the practical limits of dedicated ground service. When commercial air cargo provides the fastest overall solution, we coordinate next-flight-out transportation together with pickup, airport handling, and final delivery to the maintenance facility.
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Airport Recovery
Landing at the airport is only one step in the shipment. After arrival, freight still needs to be collected from the cargo terminal and delivered to the airline's maintenance facility, hangar, or repair base. Airport recovery is coordinated as part of the transportation plan—not treated as a separate service after the shipment lands.
Learn about Airport Recovery → -
Maintenance & MRO Logistics
Aircraft maintenance depends on precise scheduling. We transport components, tooling, repairable parts, and maintenance equipment between airlines, maintenance providers, overhaul facilities, suppliers, and repair centers to support both scheduled and unscheduled maintenance operations.
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Manufacturing & Supplier Expedites
Aerospace production follows tightly coordinated manufacturing schedules. When supplier deliveries fall behind or production requires emergency transportation, dedicated vehicles help move components directly between suppliers and manufacturing facilities to minimize disruption.
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Cross-Border Aerospace Freight
North American aerospace manufacturing depends on constant movement between the United States and Canada. BMA Express coordinates expedited cross-border shipments with customs documentation prepared before transit to help reduce unnecessary border delays.
How an AOG shipment works
Every AOG move begins with one objective:
Return the aircraft to service as quickly as realistically possible.
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STEP 01
Assess the Situation
Operations immediately confirms:
- Part description
- Pickup location
- Destination airport or maintenance base
- Aircraft location
- Required-on-site time
- Shipment dimensions
- Weight
- Special handling requirements
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STEP 02
Choose the Fastest Overall Route
The fastest transportation option isn't always the airplane.
Our operations team evaluates:- Transit distance
- Commercial flight schedules
- Cargo acceptance cut-off times
- Airport handling time
- Airport recovery requirements
- Ground transit options
- Border crossing requirements
- Weather and operational conditions
For longer distances, next-flight-out air combined with immediate airport recovery often becomes the fastest solution. - STEP 03 Dispatch Immediately Once pickup is confirmed, transportation begins without waiting for unnecessary administrative delays. If air transportation is required, airport recovery is coordinated while the shipment is already moving so no time is lost after landing.
- STEP 04 Track Every Milestone Maintenance teams don't have time to chase updates. Operations monitors the shipment from pickup through final delivery, providing status updates at key milestones so everyone involved knows when the part is expected to arrive.
- STEP 05 Deliver to the Maintenance Team For AOG freight, the shipment isn't complete when it reaches the airport. It's complete when the part reaches the maintenance hangar, repair facility, or aircraft and technicians can begin returning the aircraft to service. That final delivery is often the difference between solving an AOG event quickly and adding another hour of unnecessary downtime.
Choosing between dedicated ground and next-flight-out air
Not every AOG shipment belongs on an aircraft.
The fastest solution depends on the entire journey—not simply the distance between pickup and delivery.
Before selecting a transportation method, we evaluate:
- Required-on-site time
- Pickup location
- Destination airport or maintenance facility
- Commercial flight availability
- Cargo acceptance cut-off times
- Airport handling procedures
- Airport recovery requirements
- Customs clearance for cross-border shipments
- Weather and operational disruptions
For many regional lanes, dedicated ground transportation reaches the maintenance facility sooner because it avoids airport processing, cargo handling, and terminal delays.
For longer distances, next-flight-out air combined with immediate airport recovery may provide the earliest possible delivery.
Every routing decision is made around one objective:
The earliest realistic arrival at the maintenance facility.
Airport recovery matters
An AOG shipment doesn't end when the aircraft carrying the part lands.
The shipment must still be released by the airline or cargo handler, collected from the airport cargo facility, loaded onto a dedicated vehicle, and transported to the maintenance base or hangar.
Those final miles often determine how quickly technicians can begin repairs. Without airport recovery already arranged, valuable time can be lost waiting for documentation, transportation, or communication between different providers.
That's why airport recovery is planned from the moment an AOG shipment begins—not after the aircraft lands.
Our operations team coordinates the shipment from pickup through final delivery, helping reduce delays during one of the most time-sensitive stages of the move.
Supporting the aerospace industry
We coordinate expedited transportation for organizations across the aerospace supply chain, including:
- Commercial airlines
- Cargo airlines
- Aircraft maintenance providers
- MRO facilities
- Aerospace manufacturers
- OEM suppliers
- Aircraft component distributors
- Engine maintenance centers
- Aircraft parts repair facilities
- Aviation service providers
- Defense contractors
- Government aviation agencies
Whether moving components between suppliers, manufacturing facilities, maintenance bases, airports, or distribution centers, dedicated transportation helps keep critical operations moving.
Why dedicated transportation matters
Standard freight networks are designed to move thousands of shipments efficiently. AOG logistics has a different objective.
When a single aircraft is waiting for one component, every additional transfer increases the opportunity for delay.
Dedicated transportation provides:
- Direct pickup
- Direct delivery
- No freight terminals
- No unnecessary cross-docking
- Fewer handling points
- Greater shipment visibility
- Continuous communication
- One operations team managing the shipment from start to finish
Reducing unnecessary handoffs helps reduce unnecessary downtime.
Preparing an AOG shipment
Having complete shipment information allows transportation planning to begin immediately.
Helpful information includes:
- Pickup location
- Destination airport or maintenance facility
- Aircraft location
- Required-on-site time
- Part description
- Part number (when available)
- Dimensions
- Weight
- Packaging requirements
- Contact information at pickup and delivery
- Customs documentation for cross-border shipments
- Special handling instructions
Providing accurate information early helps identify the fastest transportation option and reduces delays before dispatch.
Why aerospace operators choose BMA Express
AOG transportation isn't about moving freight quickly.
It's about helping aircraft return to service as quickly as possible.
BMA Express provides:
- Dedicated expedited transportation
- Next-flight-out coordination
- Airport recovery
- Cross-border U.S.–Canada transportation
- 24/7 dispatch
- Direct communication
- Flexible equipment options
- End-to-end shipment coordination
Every shipment is planned around operational requirements rather than standard freight schedules.
When downtime costs thousands of dollars per hour, transportation decisions need to be made quickly—and executed with precision.
Frequently asked questions
Aircraft on Ground (AOG) describes an aircraft that cannot return to service until a required component is installed. Because every hour of downtime affects flight schedules, maintenance operations, and operating costs, AOG shipments receive the highest transportation priority.
Transportation planning begins as soon as shipment details are confirmed. Depending on the pickup location and available transportation options, dedicated ground service or next-flight-out air can often be coordinated immediately.
Yes. We coordinate airport recovery so shipments move beyond the cargo terminal and reach the maintenance hangar, repair facility, or aircraft as quickly as possible.
Yes. We coordinate expedited cross-border transportation throughout the U.S. and Canada, with customs documentation prepared before transit whenever required.
No. In addition to Aircraft on Ground recovery, we support scheduled maintenance, manufacturing logistics, supplier expedites, tooling movements, inter-facility transfers, and other time-critical aerospace shipments.
We regularly coordinate transportation for aircraft replacement parts, rotables, avionics, engine components, landing gear assemblies, hydraulic systems, maintenance tooling, ground support equipment, and other critical aerospace components.
Yes. Aircraft maintenance doesn't stop at the end of the workday. Our dispatch team operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, coordinating emergency aerospace transportation whenever it's needed.
Ready when every minute counts
Whether you're responding to an Aircraft on Ground event, supporting scheduled maintenance, moving critical aerospace components, or coordinating next-flight-out transportation, BMA Express provides dedicated logistics built around aviation schedules—not standard freight timelines.
When every hour an aircraft remains on the ground carries operational consequences, dedicated transportation helps keep maintenance teams focused on returning it to service.