European Union officials are seeing some positive movement in the international conflict on the EU emissions trading system (ETS). But if recent comments by their opponents are more than saber-rattling, their optimism may very well be short-lived.

The adage goes that good people are hard to find, and many commercial maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities are reporting difficulties filling technician positions with skilled workers. Given the outlook for the aviation industry, they have legitimate reasons to worry.

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.

To discover where air service is growing in Africa, just follow the money—the yuan, that is. Airline industry observers have said Africa is “the next big story” in aviation, and air travel on the continent is growing, albeit from a very small base. But an examination of that growth shows that it correlates almost in lockstep with China's foreign direct investment (FDI) in the continent.

Air Berlin may now have a shareholder with strong financial backing, and it may now be a member of the Oneworld alliance. But Europe's sixth largest airline will have to make substantial changes in 2012 in order to become a viable business. The carrier posted a massive €271 million ($360.4 million) net loss in 2011, by far the worst year in its history. The airline's equity was reduced by more than half and stood at only €253 million at the end of December. The company will not be able to return to profitability until 2013 at the earliest.

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