Eliminating unplanned aircraft downtime would be a good thing, right? Imagine how operating assets that do not prematurely fail would optimize your operations. The productivity gains and cost savings would be immense. Perhaps you think I am taking a utopian view of operations, but if your company and employees are not striving for innovation at the highest level, will you ever get there?

Cloud computing is considered to be the next major trend in electronic-documents management, but still to be decided is how much data will be controlled by airlines, and how much by original equipment manufacturers. Best practices devised to keep engines on-wing longer is one of the issues, says Paul Mingler, GE Aviation's chief consulting engineer of product safety.

The proliferation of mobile devices and software that enables increasingly more complex data distribution and handling could lead to the most significant evolution in maintenance documents management since the transition from paper to electronic formats.

Evolutions in materials and technology are happening so quickly, one of the big challenges for OEMs is designing a product today that can accommodate unexpected changes tomorrow.

AIM Aviation has begun building a new factory adjacent to its Galleys Div. in Byfleet, England. The new facility will add 31,000 sq. ft. of production and testing capability, bringing total space to 80,000 sq. ft. Completion is targeted for summer 2014.

As the only all-new engine developed for one of the most ambitious aircraft models built in the jet age, General Electric's GE90 family has more than held its own. Nearly three out of every four Boeing 777s delivered are powered by GE90s, and the percentage will only grow—every undelivered current-generation 777 listed in Boeing's backlog is slated to have GE power as well. Boeing figures show 991 777s delivered through Sept. 30, including 730 powered by GE90s. Another 328 777s—a mix of -200LRs, -300ERs and freighters—remain on order.

Rapid advances in technology and materials, along with intensified competition for passenger loyalty, are driving a wave of innovation and investment in aircraft interiors. The hallmarks of today's newest cabins are improved materials, hardware design and technologies that enable faster, more effective maintenance. In the past few months alone, major carriers have announced these actions:

Integrating process management software into an MRO operation is no longer cutting-edge—it is core to an efficient operation's success. MRO providers benefit from a range of choices, from products developed by providers that want to solve their own problems to technology companies that look at aircraft maintenance management challenges and see endless opportunities to help a surging part of the aviation industry. 1. Wings Aloft Supplier: Applied Database Technology