Deregulation, higher costs, foreign competition, and financial risks are causing profound changes in civil aviation. These trends are reviewed along with growing federal involvement in trade, technology transfer, technological developments in airframes and propulsion, and military-civil aviation relationships. Policy options to preserve the strength and effectiveness of civil aircraft manufacturing are offered.

Covers: structure of the global large civil aircraft industry and the market, determinants of competitiveness, government policies influencing competitiveness, overview and comparison of R&D, Western European government budgets, aircraft agreements, and more. Glossary and bibliography. 30 charts, tables and graphs.