Continental Airlines plans to take delivery of four 787-8s in the third quarter of 2011 and two more in the fourth quarter, it said in a US Securities and Exchange filing last week. It has 11 -8s and 14 787-9s on order. The fleet plan included in the filing anticipates the 2010 delivery of two 777-200ERs, three 757-300s, two 737-900ERs, 10 737-800s (one of which will not enter service until 2011) and three 737-500s, plus the disposal of six 737 Classics. By year end, CO will have 350 aircraft in the mainline fleet.

Embraer earned a $248.5 million profit in 2009, down 36.1% from the $388.7 million reported the prior year, as the recession and industry downturn contributed to falls in both orders and deliveries. Full-year sales revenue declined 13.7% to $5.47 billion and EBIT dropped 37.5% to $335.6 million from $537 million. The company's commercial aviation segment posted $3.37 billion in revenue, a 20.5% decrease. It delivered 122 commercial aircraft in 2009, down from 162 the year before. Last year's deliveries comprised seven ERJ-145s, 22 E-170s, 11 E-175s, 62 E-190s and 20 E-195s.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh believes China will become a significant competitor in civil aircraft manufacturing, but he does not expect COMAC's C919 to achieve a major sales presence outside the country. "It will probably be a good airplane. Will that be the airplane that they market outside China? Probably not," Albaugh told media this week at Boeing offices in Arlington, Va., adding, "But the airplane after that and the one after that. . .We have to look at China as a real competitor for years to come."

Thai Airways said it will lease 3-6 aircraft with 300-350 seats for 3-5 years each to cover short-term needs, with at least three aircraft joining the fleet by mid-year. It did not offer additional details. It said it carried 3.5 million passengers in the first two months of 2010, up 13.4% from the year-ago period, on a 12% lift in ASKs. January load factor rose 4.8 points year-over-year to 80% and February's climbed 5.2 points to 82.2%.

Boeing said the third and final test 747-8F successfully completed its first flight yesterday afternoon. Aircraft RC 521 took off from Paine Field, reached an altitude of 30,000 ft. and an airspeed of 282 mph, then landed at Boeing Field 2.5 hr. later. The three aircraft will conduct a test program totaling 3,700 hr. on the ground and in the air. First delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter (ATWOnline, March 16).

AWAS delivered one A330-300 to Iberworld Airlines.

Boeing is leaning toward increasing production rates for the 737 and 777 families with decisions expected by mid-year, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Jim Albaugh said yesterday. The current 737 build rate is 31.5 units per month and the company expects to make a decision in June on whether to raise it. Last week, Airbus announced it was taking the A320 rate to 36 per month from 34 as of December (ATWOnline, March 10).

Boeing agreed to pay Air India $145 million in compensation for the delay in its 787s, the Indian government announced. AI parent National Aviation Co. of India had requested $710 million. It has 27 787-8s on order and has seen first delivery pushed back from the originally scheduled May 2008 to April 2011.