A 25-person aviation company was paid $537,000 for licensing maintenance task cards and logbook entries, parts records and engineering orders, in a deal Origin helped place. This is one outcome, not a forecast: price depends on the records, the rights held, demand and the agreed scope.
- Payment: $537,000 to an aviation company with 25 people.
- Records licensed: maintenance task cards and logbook entries, parts records and engineering orders.
- FAA rules require maintenance entries with a description of the work, the completion date and the approving signature and certificate.
- Owners’ and customers’ aircraft records, mechanic certificate numbers and controlled technical data must be cleared or removed.
What records did the aviation company license?
The aviation company, with 25 people, licensed maintenance task cards and logbook entries, parts records and engineering orders. Origin does not publish the years covered, the fleet types or the terms.
Aviation maintenance records follow federal rules. Under 14 CFR 43.9, a maintenance entry includes “A description (or reference to data acceptable to the Administrator) of work performed” and “The date of completion of the work performed.” Under 14 CFR 91.417, “each registered owner or operator shall keep the following records,” including “The current status of applicable airworthiness directives (AD).”
| Record type licensed | What it shows an AI model | What must be removed or cleared first |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance task cards | How a maintenance task is performed and signed off, step by step | Mechanic names, signatures and certificate numbers |
| Logbook entries | What was found, what was done and when, over an aircraft’s life | Aircraft registration numbers and owner identities, where required |
| Parts records | Which parts were installed, removed and traced | Customer and supplier confidential pricing |
| Engineering orders | How a repair or alteration is specified and approved | Controlled technical data; customer-owned engineering |
What do AI companies do with aircraft maintenance records?
They use them to train and test models on skilled technical work. Mercor says “Frontier AI models are increasingly being trained to work inside companies, navigating real tools, workflows, and decisions,” and micro1 says its licensed data “is used to evaluate and improve AI capabilities in realistic enterprise environments.”
A logbook entry tied to the task card, the parts record and the engineering order shows the full path from discrepancy to return to service. See selling aircraft maintenance records for AI and aircraft maintenance logbook entries explained.
How much is an aviation company’s data worth?
In this deal, a 25-person aviation company was paid $537,000. That is one outcome; Origin does not publish the scope, exclusivity or terms behind it.
Published company-data programs list the ranges below. None publishes a figure specific to aviation.
| Published program | What it says it pays companies | Who it says it is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| micro1 Enterprise Data Partnerships | $100K-500K for qualified partnerships; $500K-3M for large-scale operational datasets; $3M+ for highly unique proprietary data | Established companies with 30+ full-time employees and substantial historical operational data, primarily in English |
| Handshake AI company data licensing | $100K to $4M+ payouts; its estimate is "indicative" and "not an offer" | Companies with 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation |
| Mercor data program | No dollar range published; compensation is based on data volume, the tools connected and the depth of the data | Aviation is not on its published list of target industries; manufacturing is (“Work orders, QA logs, spec sheets”) |
Figures as published on 12 November 2026 by micro1, Handshake AI and Mercor. They are program ranges, not quotes for any company.
Origin Data Partners works with companies that own data and helps get it bought. We are independent of the services on this page, and a buyer may pay us when a deal closes (how Origin is paid). See what your data is worth.
Can a small repair station or aviation company sell its data?
This company had 25 people. Published floors vary: Handshake AI looks for “20+ full time employees & 3+ years in operation,” while micro1 looks for “30+ full-time employees.” A 25-person company is above the first floor and below the second.
Retention also matters. Repair stations must retain records “for at least 2 years from the date the article was approved for return to service,” and some records travel with the aircraft when it is sold. What you still hold, and for how long, shapes what you can license.
What had to be removed or checked first?
Origin does not publish the checks made in this deal. For any aviation maintenance business, start with ownership: the records of an aircraft you maintain for a customer may belong to the owner or operator, and maintenance contracts can say who may use them.
Then remove personal information. FAA entries carry “the signature, certificate number, and kind of certificate held by the person approving the work” (14 CFR 43.9). If your work touches defense articles, ITAR’s definition of technical data covers “blueprints, drawings, photographs, plans, instructions, or documentation.” See how to de-identify company data before licensing.
How does the process work?
An aviation company can start at category level: which kinds of records exist, for how many years, and which belong to customers. No logbooks or files are shared to begin.
Start with a company overview. Origin helps organize the record categories, open questions, and a possible next step in a Company Licensing Brief. Your company separately approves any named introduction, evaluation access, and license. No files or system connections are required to begin.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Describe the company | Start with your company name, website, and contact details. Add your industry, team size, country, and the types of records your business has. |
| 2. Talk through the opportunity | Origin follows up to understand the business, the records you describe, and the question you want to explore. Together we organize a Company Licensing Brief: categories, questions to resolve, unknowns, and a possible next step. |
| 3. Explore a relevant opportunity | If a relevant opportunity is identified, Origin explains the proposed recipient and the company information to be shared. Your authorized contact approves that named introduction before it is made. |
| 4. Assess the terms | Your company reviews the proposed license and decides whether to proceed. Confirm the records, permitted uses, delivery requirements, and payment conditions. |
The full steps are on how it works. The brief is a starting point for a discussion. It is not a valuation, rights clearance, or a receiving program’s acceptance.
Is licensing data the same as selling the aviation business?
No. A data license grants defined rights to use a copy of certain records; the company keeps operating and keeps its records. Selling the business, or an aircraft with its records, is a separate transaction. If you are asking what your business is worth, see what is my business worth.
Per-employee figures for deals with known headcounts are in company data value per employee. More deals are on the case studies page.
Does your company hold records like these? See what your data is worth.
Common questions
How much did a 25-person aviation company get paid for its data?
$537,000, for licensing maintenance task cards and logbook entries, parts records and engineering orders, in a deal Origin helped place. This is one outcome, not a forecast.
Can an MRO or repair station sell maintenance records?
It can license records it holds the rights to. Check maintenance contracts, since aircraft records may belong to the owner or operator, and remove mechanic certificate numbers and other personal information.
What does an FAA maintenance entry include?
Under 14 CFR 43.9, a description of the work performed, the completion date, the name of the person performing it if different, and the signature, certificate number and kind of certificate of the person approving it.
How long do repair stations keep records?
Under 14 CFR 145.219, at least 2 years from the date the article was approved for return to service.
Is a 25-person company big enough for published programs?
It depends on the program: Handshake AI looks for 20+ full-time employees and 3+ years in operation; micro1 looks for 30+ full-time employees.
Sources and further reading
- 14 CFR 43.9, content of maintenance records (eCFR)
- 14 CFR 91.417, maintenance records owners and operators keep (eCFR)
- 14 CFR 145.219, repair station recordkeeping (eCFR)
- 22 CFR 120.33, ITAR definition of technical data (eCFR)
- Handshake AI: company data licensing, published payouts and eligibility
- Mercor: published data program terms and target industries