The supply chain train wreck that engulfed Boeing and others in recent years taught invaluable lessons to the rest of the aerospace industry, particularly those companies ambitiously planning to advance on the systems integration scale.

Poor roads and rail infrastructure have long made Africa a poster child for promoting growth in aviation, but regulatory, safety and financial issues have overshadowed the market's development.

Turboshafts seem to last for generations, as many engine mechanics who have tended to just a handful of major types throughout their entire career can attest. Small wonder then that opportunities for new engine launches come along once in a blue Moon, particularly in the rarified world of heavy-lift helicopters.

When a person can retire young, it is a good thing, but the early retirement of aircraft has consequences for the aviation industry when it occurs in larger numbers, as is the case now for commercial jets.

European Union emission allowance (EUA) prices surged to their highest level in more than three months in June as utilities ramped up their purchasing, triggering stops and forcing banks to cover short positions, traders say.

Rank: 3rd, revenues of $250 million-2 billion 2011 sales: $779 million

Rank: 1st, revenues greater than $6 billion Sales (12 months through March 2012): $11.8 billion

Assuming the hypothesis that most top-performing airlines outgrow their “sweet spot” is true, what steps can airlines take to maintain a competitive edge?