The three largest airframe makers met or nearly met NASA's stringent noise, emissions and fuel burn targets.

A digital, text-based communication will replace most of the 1.2 million voice communications between pilots and controllers under NextGen.

737 MAX and 777 demonstrate Boeing's strength in the single- and twin-aisle market.

The past year has seen a lot of turbulence in the stock market, but there have been a few bright spots for investors in aerospace and defense companies. Shares in suppliers of aerospace components fared particularly well in 2011 as Airbus and Boeing ramped up output, and soaring order numbers added to the airframers' already bulging backlogs. Notable performers among suppliers include Hexcel (up 34%), TransDigm Group (33%), Triumph Group (31%), Sifco Industries (23%), Rolls-Royce (20%), Precision Castparts (18%), Safran (12%) and Moog (10%).

Eliminating duplicated maintenance required by different regulatory agencies could take billions of dollars out of maintenance and engineering work for leased aircraft when they transfer across borders. That's not a typo—it's billions. Given that leased aircraft comprise about 40% of the world's total commercial fleet, and that figure continues to climb, these costs if not corrected will grow with the leased fleet.

More than 20 scheduled carriers now vie for a share of Indonesia's commercial air transport market, with intense price competition and more regulatory requirements the order of the day. But such conditions will eventually force some airlines out, says Rusdi Kirana, head of Lion Air, the country's largest domestic airline. He foresees a massive shakeout through mergers and business failures, leaving just four airline groups to serve the world's largest archipelago, within the next 6-7 years.

An item in the Who's Where column last week (p. 12) incorrectly stated Tom Horton's job status. He remains chairman, president and CEO of the AMR Corp.

Boeing's decision to lower costs and increase efficiency in its defense operations by shifting work at its huge Wichita facility to elsewhere in its network may well be the first of many plant closures this year as U.S. military spending dries up.