In 1995, airlines operating their own maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) complexes viewed them as a source of pride; low cost carriers were few, and maintenance outsourcing was in a start-up phase. At the same time, nobody could have anticipated Sept. 11, and how that, along with a worldwide economic downturn, would profoundly change the airline business and the MRO industry.

As regional jets push more turboprops out of the passenger carrying business, newer generation turboprops are becoming more affordable for the historically low-margin air cargo business and thus are finding a future flying freight.

MRO IT developments are not confined to business-wide solutions. Two companies have identified very specific areas of IT application, considered critical in today's cost containment world Right Hemisphere in Fremont, Calif., provides software for computer-based training, marketing, technical documentation and support applications using the OEM's original computer aided design (CAD) data, which employs 3-D design technology.