Exactly two years after ATR announced the launch of its -600 series, the manufacturer officially presented its first ATR 72-600 prototype at a ceremony in Toulouse yesterday. The prototype -600 (converted from an ATR 72-500) started its flight test campaign in July 2009 after being powered on in December 2008. The aircraft is fitted with new Pratt & Whitney 127M engines.

Vietnam Airlines expressed concern about 787 production delays and is considering cancelling some of its 16 orders. VN has eight 787s on order while its leasing affiliate, Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Co., has an additional eight. President Pham Ngoc Minh told Reuters that the airline is "not happy about the constant delays. We expected to get our planes in 2009, then 2010, and now nobody can confirm to us which is the exact delivery date. I can be patient but it gives us a lot of headaches."

New production issues related to wiring present yet another challenge to the 787 program and threaten further delivery delays, according to a new report from Bernstein Research, which also claimed that the early stage of the A350 program is behind schedule. According to the analysts, Boeing is moving to a new model for wiring beginning with the 13th 787, while airplanes 7 through 12 are being rewired. ATWOnline confirmed the new wiring standard with a Boeing source. Dubbed "Net Change 5," it is aimed at reducing weight and improving maintainability.

Airbus parent EADS CEO Louis Gallois told Reuters yesterday that the company has been in discussions with Singapore Airlines about pushing one of the carrier's A380 deliveries from December to January, which would lower the manufacturer's 2009 A380 delivieries from 14 to 13.

Bernstein Research raised concerns that while passengers are returning to the skies, the large number of aircraft to be delivered in 2009-10 potentially could lead to excess capacity over the next two years and thus more deferrals.