The problem with predicting the size of the aftermarket industry is that it depends heavily on the price of fuel. Crank up the price of fuel and the aviation industry takes a dive, and with that plummet goes the aftermarket industry. Then again, hold the line or slightly decrease the price of fuel and the aftermarket industry is looking at a viable environment. The aftermarket industry might be described as the maintenance and upgrade activity on an airplane after it leaves the factory. As Dr. Morris Cohen, founder and chairman of the board of MCA Solutions, a decision support company specializing in aviation, said", "We are dealing with capital intensive products, airplanes, that are in service for many years. They have to be maintained and repaired over an extended period of time, and at the same time there is pressure on the industry to cut costs." (See p. 9 for related story on MCA Solutions.).
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