As with the airlines, corporate flight departments want to minimize maintenance down time. For the OEMs, that mandates new approaches to parts support.

In May, Sikorsky Aircraft applied a revolutionary paint and corrosion protection system to a new-production U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter for the first time. What makes the system -- consisting of a conversion coating, primer and top coat -- so different is that it is entirely free of hexavalent chrome, or "chrome VI" as it is more commonly known.

Despite record sales of new business aircraft, legacy corporate jets and turboprops continue to fly. For the MRO industry, keeping those aircraft airborne presents increasing opportunities. Along with the usual cabin refurbishments and flightdeck upgrades, many aircraft are, or soon will be, in need of complex structural repairs requiring unique engineering solutions.