On Board Courier (OBC) service represents the premium tier of AOG logistics, where human reliability meets urgent aviation needs. Think of an OBC courier as a professional travel companion for critical aircraft parts – they personally escort the parts throughout the entire journey, treating them like precious cargo that never leaves their sight.

The OBC process begins when extremely valuable, fragile, or time-critical parts need delivery faster than any other method can provide. A professional courier – often with specialized training in handling dangerous goods and understanding aviation regulations – takes possession of the parts and treats them as their personal luggage throughout commercial flights. This means the parts travel in the passenger cabin rather than the cargo hold, ensuring better environmental control and eliminating the risk of luggage handling delays or losses.

OBC services are typically reserved for the most critical situations, such as when an aircraft is stranded in a remote location with limited commercial flight options, when parts are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, or when the component is so delicate that any rough handling could damage it. Examples might include precision-calibrated flight instruments, prototype parts still under development, or rare components that would take weeks to manufacture if damaged.

The courier handles all customs paperwork, coordinates with airport security for any special handling requirements, and maintains constant communication with both the sender and recipient throughout the journey. Upon arrival, they personally deliver the parts directly to the maintenance team, often staying until installation begins to ensure proper transfer of custody.

Cost consideration: While OBC services are the most expensive AOG delivery option – sometimes costing 10-20 times more than NFO – they can still be cost-effective when compared to the daily cost of keeping a wide-body aircraft grounded. The service provides ultimate reliability and speed when normal logistics channels simply aren’t fast enough.