Aviation financiers and manufacturers remain strongly interested in consolidating maintenance, even if the process seems slow at times.

Avia Solutions Group Chairman Gediminas Ziemelis talks about how the fast-growing company primarily targets the 300 airlines within a 3-hr. flight of its headquarters in Vilnius, Lithuania, but operates from 40 locations worldwide.

The first-stage engine blade on one of Delta Air Lines' fleet of 152 CFM CFM56-7 engines may cost around $1,000, but the ramifications of unmitigated pitting and cracking can cost much more in unscheduled maintenance. To prevent this corrosion pitting, fretting, stress corrosion cracking or foreign object damage from causing major problems in its fleet of 152 CFM56-7 engines, Delta TechOps partnered with Lambda Technologies of Cincinnati to develop a technology called low-plasticity burnishing (LPB).

The FAA's new proposed repair station regulations appear to mix much-needed improvements with bureaucratic burdens that may ultimately increase the complexity of Part 145 certification and compliance, initial analysis of the major proposal reveals.

Transferring leased aircraft between different regulatory authorities can cause headaches and add maintenance costs.

Frankfurt Tight Space

Welcome to the first Aviation Week & Space Technology MRO Edition! Each monthly edition is for readers like you who are involved in the airline aftermarket. Overhaul & Maintenance readers will find the same editorial elements, except in a different order—plus you get this week's regular AW&ST. We embedded two data-rich media extras in the iPad version of the magazine, which is available to you free through Zinio (www.zinio.com/apps). AW&ST subscribers who register their subscriptions can view the extras at AviationWeek.com/awst.

2. Chasing Parts Distributor: Chase Aerospace Applications: Chase Aerospace offers a specialized APU market on its website, offering many types of Honeywell, Hamilton Sundstrand and Pratt & Whitney APUs. Specifications: APU types include Honeywell GTCP85/331/131/36, Hamilton Sundstrand APS2000/3200/5000/500 and Pratt & Whitney PW901A. www.chaseaerospace.com