“This industry-first shipment reflects Boeing’s dedication to pursuing game-changing solutions through teamwork and partnership,” said William Ampofo, senior vice president, Parts & Distribution and Supply Chain, Boeing Global Services. “Together with Southwest Airlines and Aeroxchange, we are transforming how the industry ensures part authenticity and supply chain security.”

The FAA Form 8130-3 certifies the airworthiness of aircraft parts, components and articles. The digital version replaces traditional paper documentation with a secure, encrypted file that authenticates the authorized signer’s identity and safeguards document integrity.

Boeing led the pilot project to generate and gain FAA authorization for the digital solution. The first part shipped using this system—a battery serviced at Boeing’s product repair services centre in Davie, Florida—was transmitted via the Aeroxchange eARC™ platform. Southwest Airlines received the battery at its Dallas facility, verifying authenticity and airworthiness through the digital process.

“Southwest is proud to be a partner in the electronic process of document transfers and thrilled to be onsite for the very first delivery of a ship battery using this process,” said Landon Nitschke, senior vice president, Technical Operations, Southwest Airlines. “The security benefit of electronic forms aligns with Southwest’s Safety-first culture and will be of significant benefit in the aviation industry.”

Al Koszarek, president and CEO of Aeroxchange, added: “This landmark event is a milestone on the industry’s journey to prevent unapproved parts from entering the aviation supply chain.”

The digital 8130 certificate employs industry-leading X.509 security protocols, public/private key encryption, and blockchain-ready formats—creating an immutable, verifiable record of part authenticity throughout its lifecycle. Boeing plans to expand the use of the digital 8130 certificate across all nine of its product repair services centres, pending FAA authorisation for electronic recordkeeping, signatures, and manuals.

Expanding the use of digital authorised release certificates was a key recommendation from the Aviation Supply Chain Integrity Coalition (ASCIC), a cross-industry body dedicated to safeguarding the aviation supply chain. Boeing, Southwest Airlines, and Aeroxchange are all active members of the coalition.

As Boeing continues to develop and implement digital systems across its global network, the initiative underscores the company’s commitment to safety, quality and integrity—cornerstones of its long-standing reputation as a leader in aerospace innovation.