Comment Re:Where did it come from. (Score 5, Informative) 99
I can't speak for Europe / England and their repair laws, but everything in America is required to be approved by the FAA for use in aviation, and usually you can't change things after the aircraft is certified.
It's one reason why aircraft are so expensive to repair. An airplane with a 12V battery from 1989 requires that same type of 12V battery for a replacement. Sometimes the manufacturer has gone out of business. Sometimes technology has improved dramatically and they no longer manufacture that type of battery. Even if you can get a modern lithium ion 12v that would last longer under the same circumstances, getting approval can be millions of dollars and years of work.
To answer your question, there are virtually no 3D printed parts in use. There might be a few experimentals out there, but nothing you are likely to encounter unless you are deliberately out there flying them.