Avionics makers vie for Link 2000+ customers.

Commercial, defense aerospace set to follow divergent trajectories.

A plethora of regulations, including the long-awaited TSA repair station security rule, that could affect MRO in 2013.

After its unveiling of the J-20 and J-31 stealth fighters, it is not unimaginable that Beijing could pull off another technological surprise in 2013. Could it up the superpower stakes by testing an unmanned combat air vehicle, an air-launched strike weapon or even a mini-spaceplane? Speculation abounds.

Bombardier's future as a major player in the passenger jet business could rest on its new CSeries aircraft. The first flight has been delayed from December until as late as next June, and a key Chinese fuselage supplier fell down on the job. In 2013, Bombardier needs the CSeries to fly and customers to buy. Chinese

Just as the aluminum industry profits by turning one soda can into another, aircraft manufacturers are waiting for the day when composite scrap from their assembly lines, or parts reclaimed at an aircraft's end-of-life, can be made flyable again.

Asian investors continue to take big stakes in the aircraft leasing market. A consortium of three Chinese investors plans to close on a deal to acquire the International Lease Finance Corp. That follows earlier sales of Jackson Square Aviation and the Royal Bank of Scotland's aircraft leasing business to Japanese buyers and Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise's acquisition by the Bank of China.

They have different approaches, but the same aim: to reduce significantly the fuel burned when commercial aircraft taxi. Whether it is a semi-autonomous tow-tug or electric taxiing via powered nose or main wheels, systems are being developed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions during ground operations. WheelTug and Parker Aerospace hope to certificate a powered-nosewheel taxiing system for the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 in 2013, promising an 80% reduction in fuel burn over using engine power.