As far back as 1998, the Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, realized it would be facing dwindling supply sources for the electronics used on the F-16 fighters it maintains. In fact, some 70 percent of the fighter's original electronic components are no longer being manufactured, according to Mike Jackson, chief of the business operations division, office of the aircraft supply chain manager.

Dispatch reliability is as important to operators of business aircraft as it is to airlines. With that in mind, Dassault seeks to give its Falcon Jet customers a handle on system failures before they disrupt a trip.

Knowing in advance when a system or component is going to fail, removing the offending part from an aircraft, and having a replacement positioned where and when it needs to be ready for installation, test and sign off -- all with little or no human intervention -- is the Holy Grail in terms of aircraft support. In such a world, there would be dramatically fewer maintenance-related flight delays and cancellations.