Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Co. (SCAC) has reported a net loss of RUB7.29 billion ($227 million) for the first nine months ended Sept. 30, deepened 2.8 times from a year ago.

It is shaping up as a banner year for Airbus and Boeing with commercial aircraft orders rolling in from airlines and lessors worldwide. Both expected a strong year, but demand in 2013 is far exceeding expectations the manufacturers had at the year’s start. Through the first three quarters, both companies have already breached the 1,000-gross-orders mark, a barrier not achieved in most full years.

Competitive flying in turbulent markets prompts airlines to shift costs from fixed to variable. One way to do that is to outsource not just the repair of, but the ownership and management of expensive assets, from rotable components to engines and even aircraft, sometimes.