BADGERS AND RAZORBACK HOGS didn't make the cut. Grizwald the bear, a clever fox, a wisecracking jackrabbit and a quartet of penguins are in, along with a snowy white owl named Doc who is acceptable everywhere but in Mexico where he raises superstitions. These decisions are all part of the business strategy of Frontier Airlines, which markets itself as "A Whole Different Animal" and reflects that sentiment by having every aircraft tail painted with a creature indigenous to the regions served.

Avianca became an Airbus customer for the first time yesterday with an order for 33 A319s/A320s and five A330-200s collectively valued at nearly $3 billion, plus options for 27 A319s/A320s and five A330-200s. AV Chairman German Efromovich said the order signals a "new era" for the Colombian carrier, touting the "unbeatable economics" of the aircraft as well as fleet commonality. Delivery dates and engine choices were not released. Avianca and its SAM subsidiary currently operate five 757-200s, four 767-200s, one 767-300, 15 MD-83s and 10 F50s.

Hamilton Sundstrand announced the delivery of the first APS 5000 APU to Boeing for use on the 787's initial flight tests. The APU is rated at 1,100 shp.

Qatar Airways signed an MOU with Airbus for the purchase of 80 A350 XWBs valued at $16-$18 billion, providing a major boost to an aircraft program that has undergone a significant redesign. The manufacturer said Qatar Airways will launch the aircraft into commercial service in mid-2013. In 2005 the carrier committed to 60 of the original-design A350s. Yesterday's agreement supersedes and expands that accord.

Embraer relocated its office in China to a newly established Central Business District in downtown Beijing. Since entering the Chinese market in 2000, the company has received orders for 71 ERJ-145s, 50 E-190s and two executive jets.

Malaysia Airlines' spectacular turnaround continued in the first quarter with a net profit of MYR133 million ($39.2 million) that represented a reversal from the year-ago period's MYR321 million loss and a significant premium over the MYR50-MRY99 million profit the carrier had forecast.

S7 Airlines yesterday announced an order for 15 787s valued at $2.4 billion at list prices, plus 10 purchase rights. Delivery date and engine choice were not announced. The order occurs as the airline, the largest domestic carrier in Russia, works to distance itself from last summer's A310 runway overrun in Irkutsk that claimed 124 lives. It passed the IOSA audit in December and has committed to a fleet revamp that included the delivery of 14 Western aircraft last year as well as yesterday's order.

Bombardier Aerospace's operating profit for its fiscal first quarter ended April 30 more than doubled to C$112 million ($103.7 million) from C$55 million in the year-ago period owing to robust aircraft sales. Aerospace's revenue lifted 15% to C$2.3 billion. It received 91 net orders for regional aircraft, nearly a fivefold increase over 19 ordered in the year-ago quarter, comprising 53 regional jets and 38 turboprops. Delta Air Lines' order for 30 CRJ900s led the way, with Horizon Air and Pinnacle Airlines each ordering 15 Q400s to lead turboprop sales.