Boeing's slow selling 747-8 Intercontinental got a boost this week as Air China ordered five of the aircraft valued at a combined $1.5 billion based on list prices, although the Beijing-based carrier noted it would get a "significant price concession."

ILFC signed an MOU with Airbus covering orders for 100 A320neo family aircraft including 25 A321neos and became the first of four companies committing to the narrowbody to make an engine selection, choosing Pratt & Whitney's PurePower PW1100G. Deliveries are slated to begin in 2016.

AWAS delivered one Boeing 737-300 to Monterrey, Mexico-based carrier VivaAerobus, a new customer for the lessor. The carrier said it will use the aircraft in its fleet expansion plans and as part of its domestic network.

Bombardier said it recently upgraded more than 9,000 sq.m. of its Saint-Laurent facility to enable it to produce major components including the carbon-fiber aft fuselage and cockpit for its CSeries aircraft scheduled to enter service in 2013. The cockpit will be mated at the facility with the forward fuselage section made by Shenyang Aircraft Corp. in China. The assembly process will include “a fully automated moving line using the latest lean manufacturing principles, and the upgrades include new machinery, equipment and tooling,” it said.

Airbus projected Monday that Asia/Pacific airlines will take delivery of around 8,560 new aircraft valued at $1.2 trillion over the next 20 years, representing 33% of new aircraft deliveries worldwide over the forecast period.

China Eastern Airlines plans to aggressively expand its fleet, growing it 74%—or 250 aircraft—by 2015.

Bombardier Aerospace said it signed an MOU with ICBC Financial Leasing Co. covering up to $8 billion in capital that the wholly owned subsidiary of Industrial Commercial Bank of China will make available to support "advance payment financing, delivery financing and leasing solutions"for Bombardier business and commercial aircraft including Q-Series, CRJ Series and CSeries transports. Financial support will be available for aircraft transactions inside and outside China.

Airbus revealed last week that Dubai Aerospace Enterprise's DAE Capital aircraft leasing unit has canceled another 30 firm orders comprising 18 A320s and 12 A350s.