Naverus said it will develop Required Navigation Performance procedures for China Eastern Airlines for operating into Lhasa. Naverus also will assist the carrier in obtaining the necessary regulatory approval to fly the procedures with both 737NG and A319 aircraft.

Japan Airlines Friday conducted the latest biofuel test flight, operating a 747-300 partially powered by fuel derived primarily from the camelina plant. The 90-min. flight from Tokyo Haneda followed recent biofuel demonstration flights conducted by Air New Zealand and Continental Airlines (ATWOnline, Jan. 8). A 50/50 blend of traditional jet fuel and camelina-based biofuel powered one of the aircraft's four Pratt & Whitney JT9Ds. It was the first biofuel test flight using Pratt engines.

Russia's S7 Airlines has canceled its order for 15 787s, it confirmed yesterday, becoming the first carrier to terminate a major deal for Boeing's delayed next-generation widebody.

FedEx ATR 42 operated by Empire Airlines crashed on landing at Lubbock, Tex., early yesterday morning, leading to a fire that destroyed the aircraft. Both crewmembers survived. En route from Fort Worth Alliance, the aircraft skidded off the runway after touching down and the right wing caught fire, according to Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network. The accident occurred just after 4:30 a.m. in poor weather conditions that included "freezing drizzle and mist," ASN reported. FedEx said the two pilots escaped with only "minor injuries."

International Aero Engines won a deal with Lufthansa to provide its V2500 SelectOne engine to power 20 firm A321s plus options. Contract is valued at $850 million if all options are exercised. Deliveries are scheduled to begin this year. Pratt & Whitney, a partner in IAE, valued its share of the order at more than $283 million if all options are exercised.

Air Dolomiti took delivery of its first of six E-195s yesterday in Brazil. Aircraft is part of an order for 30 E-Jets placed by parent Lufthansa in June 2007 (ATWOnline, Jan. 23). Air Dolomiti aircraft will be configured with 116 seats in a single class with a moveable partition and will be used to link its Italian network to Munich.

ATR booked orders for 42 new aircraft and options for another 14 in 2008, a significant drop from the prior year's 113 but higher than insiders anticipated at the end of June, when it had signed deals for just eight new planes.

Lufthansa will take delivery of the first of 30 E-195s next week. The first six aircraft will fly for its Air Dolomiti subsidiary, with the remainder set for CityLine. It remains unclear whether Swiss International Air Lines will build its future regional fleet around the Embraer family. Swiss CEO Christoph Franz told ATWOnline that no decision has been made regarding regional aircraft, although LX already has one Embraer simulator in Zurich that it leases out to third-party customers.