Sukhoi's SuperJet 100 (SSJ100) has a “window of opportunity” to break the regional jet Bombardier-Embraer duopoly.

The number of Russian-made civil aircraft flying is dwindling, even here in their home market. Russian airlines have been phasing out their Soviet-legacy fleets the past 5-6 years and replacing them with Western models. This shift decreases the demand for Russian-built aircraft spare parts and is forcing local parts providers to diversify their stock with foreign types.

Maintenance costs in the airline aftermarket are in the spotlight as seasoned players shift to different roles. Pemco World Air Services filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. and Aveos Fleet Performance closed its doors last month as part of insolvency filing in Canada. Even Lufthansa Technik, one of the largest and most high-tech MROs in the world, needs to improve its declining margin, says its executive board chairman.

Engine spare parts not manufactured by the original equipment manufacturer may become harder to find in the future. While engine OEMs' assertive practices to expand their share of the engine aftermarket plays a big role, leasing companies, which own a growing part of the global fleet, are now playing a more dominant role, too

Many MRO providers have shied away from VIP completions in the past, concerned about the complexity involved and skills needed. But lately, several companies have determined that this potentially lucrative sector will prove worth the effort. Ameco Beijing, ST Aerospace and SR Technics are prominent examples of MRO specialists now in the process of entering or growing in the sector. All face long-established competitors such as Lufthansa Technik or Jet Aviation, which have held quasi-monopolies in this niche market.

To understand the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) market, one first needs to understand the worldwide airline fleet. TeamSAI notes in its global MRO forecast for 2012-22 that the airline fleet grew 3.2% in 2011 to 20,840 in-service commercial jet aircraft. Expect the passenger fleet to grow 4.4% and the cargo fleet to increase 3.3% each year in the next decade, predicts TeamSAI in the 10-year MRO forecast it unveils this week at Aviation Week's MRO Americas Conference.

The competitive landscape for future parts pricing is being laid now with the contracts airlines sign in acquiring new aircraft.

Lufthansa Technik Philippines opened a third hangar in Manila, Philippines, announced in early Feb. The new facility, worth $30 million, is 8,500 square-meters and 35 meters high. The space is big enough for technicians to work simultaneously on one widebody aircraft and two narrowbodies. Training