Although parts manufacturing authority parts are a miniscule portion of today's total spares buy, many airlines are pursuing this avenue aggressively as an alternative to acquiring parts sourced directly from original equipment manufacturers or their licensed suppliers.

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A380 completed 52 flights and accumulated a total of 178 hr. as of July 29, according to VP-Marketing Colin Stuart. Speaking to the Aero Club in Washington Friday, Stuart reiterated that Airbus needs to sell 250 aircraft "plus or minus 10%" for the program to achieve breakeven. The company has targeted 700 aircraft sales out of a total market in the size class for 1,250 aircraft. "So there is room for Boeing," he joked.

Continental Airlines placed an order with Boeing for two additional 777-200ERs for its international expansion. The aircraft are scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2007 and Continental said Boeing agreed to provide backstop financing. Currently, the airline operates 18 777-200ERs in a two-class, 283-seat configuration.

Integration teams representing General Electric, Airbus and Goodrich have defined the "key interfaces" between the GEnx engine and the A350 inlet, nacelle and thrust reverser, GE said yesterday. The team also has been engaged in defining the engine mounts, gearbox concepts and engine pneumatic bleed and electrical systems. "In freezing the initial product definition and launching the GEnx engine, we have essentially established the performance parameters for the GEnx engine on the A350," said program GM Tom Brisken.