Embraer earned a $248.5 million profit in 2009, down 36.1% from the $388.7 million reported the prior year, as the recession and industry downturn contributed to falls in both orders and deliveries. Full-year sales revenue declined 13.7% to $5.47 billion and EBIT dropped 37.5% to $335.6 million from $537 million. The company's commercial aviation segment posted $3.37 billion in revenue, a 20.5% decrease. It delivered 122 commercial aircraft in 2009, down from 162 the year before. Last year's deliveries comprised seven ERJ-145s, 22 E-170s, 11 E-175s, 62 E-190s and 20 E-195s.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh believes China will become a significant competitor in civil aircraft manufacturing, but he does not expect COMAC's C919 to achieve a major sales presence outside the country. "It will probably be a good airplane. Will that be the airplane that they market outside China? Probably not," Albaugh told media this week at Boeing offices in Arlington, Va., adding, "But the airplane after that and the one after that. . .We have to look at China as a real competitor for years to come."

Thai Airways said it will lease 3-6 aircraft with 300-350 seats for 3-5 years each to cover short-term needs, with at least three aircraft joining the fleet by mid-year. It did not offer additional details. It said it carried 3.5 million passengers in the first two months of 2010, up 13.4% from the year-ago period, on a 12% lift in ASKs. January load factor rose 4.8 points year-over-year to 80% and February's climbed 5.2 points to 82.2%.

Boeing said the third and final test 747-8F successfully completed its first flight yesterday afternoon. Aircraft RC 521 took off from Paine Field, reached an altitude of 30,000 ft. and an airspeed of 282 mph, then landed at Boeing Field 2.5 hr. later. The three aircraft will conduct a test program totaling 3,700 hr. on the ground and in the air. First delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter (ATWOnline, March 16).

AWAS delivered one A330-300 to Iberworld Airlines.