Patent ID: 8036955

Claim:
A method of centrally managing parts used to service multiple fleets of aircraft for customers by a single management network integrator, said network integrator a business entity, said network integrator a separate business entity from each of said customers, comprising the steps of: (A) said network integrator establishing an integrated network of part suppliers under the control of said network integrator, said network integrator solely responsible for managing the entire supply chain for said parts from a central operations center for said customers; (B) said network integrator forwardly deploying parts from the part suppliers to customer designated sites; (C) said network integrator maintaining information on an inventory of the parts owned by the part suppliers at each of the customer designated sites using the parts forwardly deployed in step (B), said information collected over a shared communications network; and, (D) said network integrator managing the part inventories at the customer designated sites, said managing comprising sharing of data comprising said inventory and aircraft information between said network integrator, said part suppliers, and said customers over said shared communications network, said aircraft information comprising real-time operating data and as-flying configuration data, said shared communications network controlled by said network integrator and comprising a server at said central operations center and an on site server at said customer designated sites.