Sarah MacLeod, MRO industry expert, looks at opportunities, roadblocks for MRO providers.

The bifurcation of the business jet market is expected to continue in 2013, with strong demand for larger and pricier jets and sluggish sales of small and mid-sized aircraft. A Chinese company's failed bid in 2012 to acquire bankrupt Hawker Beechcraft is unlikely to slow Beijing's bid to become a significant player in the market.

Making repairs to composite parts that restore their aesthetic appearance as well as their mechanical performance is difficult. Concerns about undetected contaminants weakening bonded joints mean most repairs involve bolted-on patches. But techniques are emerging to enable aesthetic bonded repairs to aircraft in service and parts during manufacture. Aerostructures manufacturer GKN Aerospace is using laser ablation to cut the time and skill needed to prepare composite parts for repair.

The FAA's NextGen air traffic control modernization effort is a top priority, and 2013 will be a crucial year for its en-route automation modernization and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast programs. Deployment of both is to be largely completed by the end of the year. If that does not occur, there could be serious headaches for other NextGen initiatives.

Variable-area fan nozzles on the latest high-bypass engines could increase fuel efficiency and reduce airport noise. Pratt & Whitney is introducing the concept on its PW1100G for the Airbus A320NEO. but not on smaller versions of the geared turbofan. Current engines have fixed-area fan nozzles, designed as a compromise between climb and cruise. But the exit area needs to be larger for takeoff and smaller for cruise, so a variable nozzle optimizes the fan flow for each flight condition.

Volga-Dnepr Technics has extended its aircraft maintenance and repair services in the Middle East with the addition of a new wheel and brake maintenance division in Sharjah, UAE.

Singapore Airlines is retrofitting 10 of its Boeing 777-200ERs.

In November 2008, the year Wanda Austin became CEO of The Aerospace Corp., Aviation Week & Space Technology featured her on the cover with a three-page profile inside. “The fact that Austin is a woman and an African-American is impossible to miss,” the magazine wrote.