MRO: Maintaining Optimism

The good news for maintenance, repair and overhaul suppliers is that the market is in full recovery mode. Stronger-than-expected traffic demand in 2005 is causing airlines to fly their aircraft harder, many of the thousands of jets ordered between 1996 and 2000 are coming due for heavy checks, and relatively few airlines are investing in new repair facilities. Spending on commercial airline MRO was an estimated $36.1 billion last year, up from $35.8 billion in 2003, and should hit $40 ...