LAN Airlines said it "recently" operated its first commercial flight with a blended winglet-equipped 767-300. It said it is investing nearly $70 million in equipping its entire -300 fleet, numbering 37 passenger and cargo aircraft, with winglets before year end.

Air France will take delivery of its 54th 777 Friday. The aircraft is the 777th 777 produced by Boeing and will be the first AF aircraft to feature its new livery (ATWOnline, Feb. 13).

Rolls-Royce signed a contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines for provision of Trent 700EPs to power up to 12 (eight firm and four option) A330s ordered at last year's Farnborough Airshow (ATWOnline, July 15), with deliveries beginning in 2010. Contract is valued at up to $900 million at list prices and includes a long-term TotalCare services agreement. SV already operates 14 Rolls-powered 747-100s -200s, -SPs and -300s, but this marks the first time it has selected the Trent.

Lufthansa Technik said C&D Zodiac selected its onboard floor proximity lighting system, Guideline ColourFit, for installation onboard the CSeries.

Russian Technologies, the state-owned controller of the newly established, Moscow Vnukovo-based Russia Airlines (ATWOnline, Oct. 24, 2008), plans to order 150-200 aircraft starting next year, RT head Sergei Chemezov said, according to Reuters. According to Chemezov, "Boeing has promised to help us find credit in the US. From next year we would like to start buying airplanes. . .The most important question is where [we can] get the money."

ATR has had serious discussions with airlines and suppliers about producing a larger turboprop and has found "a lot of interest" in the manufacturer's building a bigger aircraft than the 70-seat ATR 72, Head of Sales John Moore told ATWOnline. "We are certainly looking at that market and have had some very positive feedback from airlines that they do see a need for a larger capacity turboprop," Moore said yesterday. "There are a growing number of routes where the 70-seat turboprop is too limited."

Airbus reported an order for 10 A320s on March 31 from Ireland's Aircraft Purchase Fleet, which combined with Korean Air's commitment for six A330-200s brought the manufacturer's order book for the month to 16 aircraft and it's year-to-date total net of cancellations to eight. It also has sold two A380s to KE and four A321s to Turkish Airlines this year but has seen orders for 14 A320 family aircraft cancelled (ATWOnline, March 2).

Boeing received an order for five 737s from an unidentified customer during the week ended March 31, bringing its gross orders for 2009 to 28 aircraft and its net to -4. It has had commitments for 32 787s canceled. The company delivered 121 aircraft in the first quarter, comprising 91 737s, four 747s, three 767s and 23 777s. It delivered 115 in the first three months of 2008.