Ramco Aviation has introduced a suite of Anywhere Apps that tie together pilots, mechanics, stock clerks and runners who carry parts to aircraft, managers who approve part orders and MRO customers.

U.K.-based Intoware has developed a speech-recognition software called WorkfloPlus that guides techs through performance and reporting of aircraft maintenance tasks in a hand-free manner.

Light-weight, high-performance is king in aerospace and aviation applications. And just as composites and metals like titanium are replacing heavier materials in structures, aerogels may increasingly replace foam and fiber for insulation, according to Shejal Jamdade, senior research analyst for Transparency Market Research (TMR). TMR projects that total aerogel use will grow 15% annually to reach more than $1 billion by 2023, and transportation, including aircraft, will be the fastest-growing market.