Aviation glossary · Parts, stock and tradingP/N and S/N
part number and serial number
The part number identifies what an item is; the serial number identifies which individual unit it is. Life and history are tracked against the serial number.
Why it matters
Systems that track only part numbers cannot answer which unit accumulated which life — which is exactly the question a lessor or an auditor asks.
In AerSynx
The part master is shared across the organisation while each serialised unit keeps its own record and history. Inventory →