Cathay Pacific Airways received approval to use the ARINC AeroConnx electronic flight bag solution and has begun operational evaluation on 777-300s.

Boeing yesterday reported "solid" first-quarter net income of $519 million, down 15% from a $610 million profit in the year-ago quarter, and touted "clear progress" on the 787 and 747-8F flight test programs including securing expanded Type Inspection Authorization late Tuesday on the Dreamliner from FAA.

Ship it AOG, the Addison, Tex.-based aircraft parts distributor, was named factory-authorized south-central US distributor of Lektro electric towbarless aircraft tugs. Under the terms, Ship it AOG assumes responsibility for sales of Lektro tugs and parts in Arizona, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

AerCap Holdings subsidiary AeroTurbine reached a 10-year deal with Chromalloy Gas Turbine to provide supply chain management services for Chromalloy-owned surplus engine/APU material. Initial inventory selected includes more than 50,000 line items of CFM56, CF6, PW4000, PW2000, V2500, JT8D, various whole APUs/APU piece parts and ground power engine piece parts.

Boeing flew its second 747-8F test aircraft to Palmdale, heralding the transition of testing to Southern California. The 747-8F will be stationed in Palmdale for the majority of its scheduled flight test program. Flight crews will conduct several test flights with fuel mileage and engine performance as key focus areas. In coming weeks two additional 747-8s will arrive in Palmdale.

Cebu Pacific Air ordered seven more A320s, bringing its outstanding orders for the type to 22, which will be delivered beginning in October and continue through late 2014. "This will enable us to have the largest fleet of Airbus A320 family aircraft in the Philippines and the second-largest in Southeast Asia, allowing us to offer our trademark low fares to even more Filipinos," President and CEO Lance Gokongwei said. The additional aircraft will bring the carrier's A320 fleet to 43 by 2014.

Aviation Capital Group reported first-quarter activity comprising leases of one new A320-200 by Avianova, a new PW4060 by Delta Air Lines and a new A320-200 by Batavia Air and extension of leases on two 737-800s by Sun Express, two A320-200s by Dragonair, four 737-300s by US Airways, one A321-200 by Spanair and one 737-300 by Southwest Airlines. ACG also acted as an agent, selling one MD-83 to Air Austral. It reported two new order deliveries: One 737-800 by Ukraine International Airlines and one 737-800 by Copa Airlines.

Airbus said it was taking advantage of "scheduled development test flights to assess the impact on the aircraft and its flight systems" of potential volcanic ash encounters. An A380 flew in French airspace and an A340-600 flew in French and German airspace yesterday. The manufacturer said it will "share the findings from these flights with the relevant airworthiness authorities and engine manufacturers as soon as possible."