PAS Technologies reached a two-year deal with Air India to provide repair services on selected PW4056 engine components.

Airbus COO-Customers John Leahy predicted yesterday that the world's airlines will require 24,300 new aircraft worth $2.6 trillion between now and 2026 in order to support retirements and annual passenger traffic growth of 4.9% per year. Approximately 900 of the new aircraft will be freighters, valued at $200 billion.

Boeing said India-based TAL Manufacturing Solutions agreed to produce structural components for the 787. Work involves constructing floor beams with advanced titanium and composite material technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.

JJH Capital, owned by Air Europa and Globalia President Juan Jose Hidalgo, signed a firm order for six E-195s plus six purchase rights worth $237 million at list prices. The order was listed as unidentified on Embraer's fourth-quarter 2007 books. Scheduled to begin delivering in May, the aircraft will be placed with Universal Airlines, a startup that will fly both domestically and in Europe. It will be the first to fly the E-195 with 122 seats.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Scott Carson insisted yesterday that the 787 program is regaining its footing and first flight by the end of the second quarter remains realistic. The supply chain "is sorting itself out in a hurry," Carson said at a New York investors conference, available via webcast. "We think we've told you the truth and that we will fly in June. I would caution that 'June' could mean the first week of July or the third week of June. Weather could have an effect."

US Dept. of Transportation released its final Air Travel Consumer Report for 2007 and said that, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 20 US carriers recording ontime performance reported a 73.4% ontime arrival rate, down 2 points from 2006. In addition, mishandled baggage reports increased 4.5% to 7.03 per 1,000 passengers while consumer complaints soared 58.2%. In December, airlines reported a 64.3% ontime arrival rate, down from 70.8% in the year-ago month. Cancellations of scheduled domestic departures rose to 3.5% from 3% in December 2006.

ATR and Lonrho Air signed an MOU for the purchase of two ATR 72-500s. The deal follows an initial order for eight aircraft announced last month (ATWOnline, Jan. 14). All 10 -500s will be deployed by Fly540, a Nairobi-based airline belonging to the pan-African investing conglomerate and will be configured with 66 seats, including 12 in first class, and equipped with PW127M engines, ATR's Elegance Cabin and IFE.

Armavia will be the first non-Russian carrier to take delivery of the Superjet 100, Transport Minister Igor Levitin said yesterday, according to press reports from Yerevan. Aeroflot will be the first airline to fly the new regional jet (ATWOnline, Sept. 12, 2007). Armavia signed a $50 million contract for two aircraft and will take delivery this year, Levitin said.