Why MROs and Builders Buy Surplus Aerospace Fasteners

What "Surplus" Actually Means

In aviation procurement, "surplus" refers to new, unused hardware that exceeded an original buyer's needs. It's not repaired, reworked, or "serviceable-but-unspecified." It's factory-new AN/MS/NAS material that passed the same QA process as parts selling for full OEM price.

The surplus label comes from the supply chain, not the part's condition. Distributors, Part 145 stations, and airlines sometimes over-purchase or hold inventory they no longer need. That material enters the secondary market — where we buy it, certify it, and sell it to you.

The legal distinction is straightforward: condition doesn't determine legality. What matters is traceability documentation. A new-surplus AN bolt with 8130-3 is just as legal for installation as the same part bought direct from the manufacturer.

How We Certify Every Surplus Part

Every fastener in our inventory ships with a complete documentation package. Here's what that includes:

• FAA Form 8130-3 (Authorized Release Certificate) — The industry standard. Confirms the part is airworthy and traceable to manufacture. Required for installation on type-certificated aircraft.
• Certificate of Conformance (CoC) — Issued by the original manufacturer or a Part 145 facility. Confirms the part meets its applicable MIL-SPEC.
• Traceability chain — Manufacture date, heat number, lot number, and facility. We retain this from intake to delivery.
• 8130-3 and CoC sample PDFs — Download sample documents before you order so you know exactly what you'll receive.

Surplus vs. New OEM: Real Cost Comparison

The price gap is significant. AN/MS/NAS hardware is manufactured to MIL-SPEC — the spec is the spec, regardless of who you buy from. The difference is what you're paying for the distribution layer.

Who Buys Surplus and Why

Three customer types drive our surplus business — and they all have the same reason: the specification is the same, the documentation is the same, and the price isn't.

Part 145 Repair Stations

MRO shops doing line maintenance, phase inspections, and component changes buy surplus AN/MS/NAS hardware daily. They need traceable parts at volume, and the math is simple: buying 500 AN bolts at $3.50 vs. $9.00 is $2,750 back in the shop's pocket on one line item.

Experimental/Ambulatory (EAB) Builders

Homebuilders building under 51.23 are not legally required to use 8130-3 parts — but many choose to anyway. Surplus gives them access to higher-grade hardware at prices compatible with a homebuilt budget. See our guide on surplus vs. new hardware for builders.

Charter Operators and Flight Schools

Operators with aging fleets know that certain AN/MS/NAS parts haven't changed in 60 years. They're buying from us because the same part is available at half the price from an authorized distributor, with the same documentation, delivered same-day from South Florida.

What to Watch Out For

Not all surplus is equal. The two failure modes that matter:

• No cert documentation. If a supplier can't produce 8130-3 or CoC, the parts are not legally usable on certificated aircraft. Walk away.
• Corrosion or shelf-life expired parts. Some hardware has shelf-life limits (adhesives, sealants, O-rings). Verify the manufacture date on everything you receive.

Both of these are why we include cert documentation as standard on every surplus order — not as an add-on, not at extra cost. See our full compliance documentation policy.