The FAA’s sweeping effort to align its draft repair station regulation with industry reality should go back to the drawing board for a second draft that incorporates feedback generated by the initial proposal, the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) tells the FAA.

The changing roles of OEMs and MRO providers in the aftermarket are cause for concern to some industry observers, but no one denies an evolution is under way.

Rolls-Royce has downplayed suggestions it needs to establish an engine overhaul facility in mainland China.

Adam Smith’s invisible hand lately seems to be delighting in picking up relatively young aircraft—mostly regional jets—and dropping them into the desert. With rising fuel costs, relatively little offsetting revenue-generating passenger ­capacity, tangled labor-scope clauses and quickly eclipsed technology, 50-seaters appear to be headed over the horizon for good. But does that mean their bigger RJ cousins are next? The answer would seem to depend on whether you sit in Chicago, Washington or Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil.

Tough economic times force innovation and make airline and aftermarket businesses evaluate what is core to their strategy. At the same time, next-gen aircraft and engine technology is forcing major industry changes. What do you want your business to be doing in five years and what are you doing now to ensure you will get to that point? Here are a few market dynamics to think about:

1. Double Shades Manufacturer: Aerospace Technologies Group Applications: Aerospace Technologies Group introduced its electro-mechanical shade systems in 2002, but the company has since made specific versions for Airbus (the Powertech NG Shade System found on some A380s) and for Boeing (the Ambiance Shade System certified for the 777).

Regional jet retirements limit MRO opportunities.

New technology and methods forge a template for future training, but challenges and cost concerns remain.