While electric braking systems are considered state-of-the-art technology, manufacturers also are making improvements to the carbon heat stacks that ultimately make airplanes stop. For Honeywell, those improvements are focusing on longer life spans, according to Henry Steele, director of marketing and product management for Honeywell's wheels and brakes product line.

When electronic flight bags (EFBs) were introduced a decade ago, they were little more than small, portable, cool tools that displayed navigation charts. But now that EFBs have evolved into multi-purpose, installed systems that can enhance safety of flight and operational efficiencies, they are a growing source of new retrofit business for MROs. Prompting this was an FAA initiative that encouraged more operators to consider EFBs for the first time.

On Nov. 8, 2005, Congress, acting on the recommendation of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC), authorized the closure of 22 major military bases in the United States by no later than Sept. 15, 2011. Those are in addition to 97 base closures approved under the four previous BRAC rounds, which took place in 1988, 1991, 1993 and 1995.