ANA sources confirmed Thursday to ATW that Boeing has informed the airline it will increase the 787 flight test fleet by at least two production aircraft. The additional two aircraft would be used primarily for ground testing and specific flight tests, Boeing spokesperson Lori Gunter told HeraldNet.com Wednesday.

The Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn. representing the LCC's pilots was scheduled to meet Wednesday with airline management to discuss the prospect that the carrier may convert some of its future 737-700 deliveries to -800s (ATW Daily News, Aug. 17).

Air China announced Wednesday that it has changed its order for 15 787-800s to 15 -900s valued at $3.19 billion at list prices, according to a CZ filing with Hong Kong regulators cited by multiple media outlets. The original order was placed in 2005 (ATW Daily News, Aug. 9, 2005). Boeing last week delayed the 787 program for the seventh time (ATW Daily News, Sept. 1).

Bombardier reported net income of $148 million for its fiscal second quarter ended July 31, down 26.7% from a $202 million profit in the year-ago period, saying its Aerospace unit "continued to be impacted" by the global financial downturn.

Boeing Corporate President and CFO James Bell indicated Tuesday that the manufacturer is unlikely to re-engine the 737, saying the potential fuel-burn improvement over today's narrowbodies does not look "sufficient enough" to justify a "business case" for doing so.

Airbus said it began A350 XWB production in Germany with the launch of upper wing shell fabrication at its Stade plant, and reiterated that first delivery to Qatar Airways is on track for 2013.

Boeing removed VP and GM-747 Program Mo Yahyavi from his post as speculation mounted that the 747-8 freighter's first delivery will be delayed again.

EgyptAir said its corporate jet aircraft charter subsidiary Smart Aviation Co. has formed a commercial airline unit that will be launched with two Q400 NextGen aircraft ordered Monday. Bombardier said the order's value is $62 million based on list prices but could rise to $158 million if EgyptAir exercises three Q400 options also placed Monday.