Moscow-based LCC Avianova said it signed a lease contract with Aviation Capital Group for two V2500-powered A320s. It currently operates two of the type and will take delivery of its third next month and the fourth in April. The airline is transferring from Vnukovo to Sheremetyevo in late March (ATWOnline, Jan. 28). It plans to launch service to Ufa on March 5 and Perm on March 6 and already serves seven destinations from Moscow.

Messier-Bugatti has begun retrofitting 36 AeroMexico 737-700s/-800s with carbon brakes. It said the program marks the "first actual replacement" of steel brakes on in-service 737NGs.

AWAS delivered the fourth of six A330-300s to Singapore Airlines. It is acquiring 19 of the type overall. The new 285-seat, two-class aircraft will operate to Australia and Japan.

Koito Industries of Yokohama was ordered this week by the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau to re-test some 150,000 aircraft seats installed on around 1,000 aircraft operated by 32 airlines worldwide and make fixes if necessary. JCAB accused the company of falsifying data from tests on the seats' fire and shock resistance and Koito, which is 20% owned by troubled automaker Toyota Motor Corp., later admitted to the wrongdoing.

Rolls-Royce Group returned to profit in 2009, reporting a £2.22 billion ($3.47 billion) surplus that compared to a £1.35 billion loss in 2008. Revenue rose 14.7% to £10.41 billion, with the civil aerospace segment accounting for 56% of that total. The company said it expected 2010 results to be "broadly similar" to last year's. Rolls delivered 844 engines for civil aircraft last year, down from 987 in 2008. Underlying revenue in the segment dipped 0.5% to £4.48 billion while underlying profit before financing was down 12.9% to £493 million.

Malev Hungarian Airlines withdrew its five F70s from service and now is operating a fleet comprising 18 737NGs and four Q400s. The F70s will be returned to AWAS over the next six months. "This simplified fleet structure means a significant reduction in our company's maintenance and operational costs, the positive impacts of which will be apparent even in 2010," CEO Martin Gauss said.

Aeronautical Engineers Inc. announced formal launch of an MD-80SF passenger-to-freighter conversion program focusing on modification of MD-81, MD-82, MD-83 and MD-88 series aircraft. It expects initial certification by summer 2011 and plans to certify the program with FAA, EASA, and CAAC. According to AEI, the MD-80SF will offer up to 12 88x108-in. ULDs including a custom 108-in. container, 47,000 lb. of upper deck cargo capacity and up to 4,400 cu. ft. of main deck volume. Conversions will take 75 days.

Air China signed a purchase agreement with Airbus for 20 A320s for delivery in 2011-14, according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.