A business jet AOG (aircraft on ground) is an unscheduled grounding of a private, corporate, or charter aircraft that cannot fly until a part is replaced, and it differs from an airline AOG in one important way: the aircraft is usually one of a handful, parked wherever the last trip happened to end, with a crew, a passenger, and a schedule that all depend on that single aircraft.
How Business-Aviation AOG Differs From Airline AOG
The task is the same, to get the right part to the right aircraft, but the conditions around it change what a good delivery looks like.
| Factor | Typical airline AOG | Typical business-aviation AOG |
|---|---|---|
| Fleet depth | A spare or a swap aircraft is often available | Often one aircraft with no substitute |
| Where the aircraft is | Frequently at a base or hub with stores and engineers | Wherever the trip ended, including remote or foreign airports |
| Access to parts | In-house stores, pools, and supply agreements | The manufacturer's service network, distributors, or exchange units, with sourcing as a task of its own |
| Who decides | A maintenance control centre | The owner, flight department, or charter operator, together with the maintenance provider |
| The deadline | The next slot in a busy timetable | The passenger's next leg, which may be hours away |
Why a Business Jet Ends Up Grounded
Any component can ground an aircraft, but dispatch rules decide which faults actually matter. Operators fly under a Minimum Equipment List (MEL) that allows certain items to be inoperative for limited periods. When a fault falls outside it, the aircraft is no-go until the part is replaced. Common triggers include avionics units, hydraulic components, brakes and tires, electrical generation parts, and parts needed after ground or bird-strike damage.
Three Problems to Solve, in Order
- Find the part. Confirm the part number and any approved alternates, the condition required (new, overhauled, or serviceable), and where stock exists. A courier does not source parts, but how fast this decision is made shapes the whole timeline.
- Move it. Choose between a dedicated vehicle, an onboard courier, and next-flight-out cargo, based on distance, size, and weight.
- Clear it. A part that crosses a border needs a commercial invoice, its release certificate, and a receiving airport that can process it. See our overview of cross-border courier shipping.
What to Have Ready Before You Call
- The aircraft type and registration.
- The part number, description, quantity, and any approved alternates.
- The condition required and the paperwork that must travel with the part, such as a release certificate.
- The aircraft's location: airport code, FBO or hangar, and a contact who answers around the clock.
- Whether the receiving airport has customs service and during what hours.
- The part's weight and size, and whether it contains batteries, fluids, or other regulated goods.
- The deadline, expressed as the departure the aircraft needs to make.
Choosing the Fastest Realistic Option
- Within a few hours' drive: a dedicated vehicle is often the quickest door-to-door option, with no airport at all.
- Long distance, small part: an onboard courier hand-carries it on the next suitable flight. Read what an onboard courier is.
- Long distance, heavy or bulky part: next-flight-out cargo, paired with an airport pickup at the other end. See air cargo pickup at Montréal-Trudeau for how that step works.
- Across a border: add customs time and expect airline cut-offs to apply.
Montreal's Business-Aviation Footprint
The Montreal area has a long-standing presence in business-jet manufacturing and service. Montréal-Trudeau sits in Dorval, where Rush Expedited Courier is based, and Montréal-Mirabel to the northwest handles mostly cargo and private flights. A courier near the airport can reach either quickly, which matters when the margin on an AOG is measured in hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does AOG mean for a business jet?
AOG, or aircraft on ground, means the aircraft cannot fly until a part is replaced or a repair is completed. For a business jet it often leaves a crew or passengers away from base, so the part, its paperwork, and the delivery all have to arrive together. See what AOG shipping is.
Can AOG parts travel on a commercial flight?
Yes, often as hand-carry with an onboard courier or as next-flight-out cargo, subject to size, weight, and dangerous-goods rules.
Who clears customs for a part going to a business jet in another country?
The shipper is responsible for accurate paperwork, and a customs broker or the courier handling the shipment usually files it. The part needs a commercial invoice and its release certificate, and the receiving airport must be able to process an international arrival, which not every airfield can.
What information does a courier need to start an AOG delivery?
The part number, pickup and delivery details, the aircraft's location and a contact who will answer, the deadline, and the part's size and weight. The sooner these arrive together, the sooner a vehicle or a flight can be arranged.
Is a business-aviation AOG delivery handled differently from an airline one?
The core task is the same, but the destination is more likely to be an FBO or a remote airfield, the contact may be a crew member rather than a stores department, and there is seldom a spare aircraft to absorb a delay, so the margin for error is smaller.
Speed Is Decided Before the Courier Is Called
Most of the time on an AOG is lost in the first hour: unclear part numbers, no reachable contact at the receiving airport, paperwork that does not yet exist. Sort those out and the delivery itself is the easy part. To see the same problem from a repair shop's side, read our guide to AOG parts delivery for MRO teams. For what happens after the repair, see aircraft rotables and exchange logistics.
For a grounded aircraft, reach our dispatch through the aircraft parts courier page. For planned maintenance and exchanges, request a quote and we will work out the route in advance.
See also: courier runs to Mirabel and Saint-Hubert airports.