Maintaining Your Airplane

The Language of Aircraft Maintenance? It Starts Here

The ATA 100 code table provides common terminology for those who do airplane maintenance.

Richard Scarbrough

Thursday, April 07, 2022 at 08:59 AM ET

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[Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The ATA 100 Code Table is a standardized classification system for aircraft systems and components, established in 1956, to create a common language for documentation and maintenance in the aviation industry.
It assigns numerical "chapters" to different parts of an aircraft (e.g., 27 for flight controls, 32 for landing gear), which are used in technical manuals, maintenance assignments, and supply chain management.
The system ensured continuity across aerospace OEMs, benefiting communication among pilots, engineers, and maintainers, and allowing for specialization within the industry.
While officially superseded and merged into the more comprehensive ATA iSpec 2200, the ATA 100 Code remains relevant and in use for older aircraft and their corresponding technical publications.

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“What chapter did you get?” he asked.

She responded, “32; why?”

Richard Scarbrough

Richard is a US Navy Veteran, A&P Mechanic, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University alumni. His experience ranges from general and corporate aviation to helicopters, business jets, and commercial airliners. Former owner of a 145 repair station, he currently has an aerospace product management role and is a member of the T-C-Alliance. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @RScarCo.