This paper shows a general review, from the authors’ point of view, on how Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) impacted in Europe and United States Aerospace Industry development. The review focuses on the most relevant companies that have shaped the aerospace Industry at both sides of the Atlantic. The review is performed following a set of representative key topics, not intending to be exhaustive. PLM is a business solution that aims to streamline the flow of information about the product and related processes throughout the product's lifecycle. PLM facilitates the availability of the right information in the right context at the right time can be made available. The initial concept of PLM appeared at the end of the 90's, in a context where Automatically Programmed Tool (APT) and Computer Aided Design (CAD) software solutions were already in use since the 60's and 80's decades respectively. PLM started to integrate information generated with such CAX (Computer Aided Technologies) solutions. Critical requirements in the aerospace industry, market changes and arising technical solutions have forced leader companies to adapt their way of working to secure their leadership. PLM evolution has taken a fundamental role in these transformations

‘Product Avatar’ and ‘Product Digital Twin’ are the terms used currently to refer to the product digital counterpart of a physical product. Both terms derived from different perspectives and from different initial objectives. With a specific focus on the aerospace sector, this communication is a starting point and reviews the different topics involved in the creation of an aircraft digital counterpart, i.e. product identification, product lifecycle, product information, product configuration, product models, and software applications involved. Then, a specific section presents both approaches, ‘product avatar’ and ‘product digital twin’, together with the currently published related works. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of creating an aircraft avatar with an industrialization-oriented perspective.