Warning that its current structure is "unsustainable and unacceptable," Airbus yesterday unveiled details of its Power8 restructuring plan, which includes 10,000 job cuts, closing or selling three plants, spinning off three others, outsourcing half of A350 XWB production (see story below) and streamlining its business to achieve a 16% increase in manufacturing productivity.

Embraer announced the sale of five E-190s, plus five options for either E-190s or E-195s, to M1 Travel, the largest shareholder of Swiss regional Flybaboo, which currently operates two Dash 8s to 120 destinations. Deliveries are scheduled to begin next year. The airline will lease the first three aircraft from M1, which selected the Steep Approach option that will enable it to operate the aircraft into London City, Sion, Lugano and Florence. The first two will be new Flybaboo destinations. Value of the deal if all options are exercised could reach $355 million at list prices.

Aegean Airlines will take delivery of its first three new A320s through March, increasing its fleet to 24 aircraft. The carrier's summer schedule features 150 daily flights to 15 Greek and 10 international destinations. In 2006 it carried 4.4 million passengers, an 11% increase from 2005.

Qantas Group selected the GEnx to power its fleet of up to 115 787s. CFO Peter Gregg called the choice "a difficult one following an exhaustive eight-month evaluation process." The initial order is for engines for 45 firm aircraft and was valued by Qantas at A$2 billion in "capital and maintenance costs over the life of the engines." It gives the GEnx a significant edge on 787 customers, with orders for 216 aircraft compared to 125 for the Trent 1000.

General Electric conducted the first test of the GEnx-1B on its 747 flying testbed last week in California. The aircraft flew for 3 hr. and climbed to more than 43,000 ft. in order to establish a performance baseline for future testing. "The engine performed extremely well. . .Today's flight puts us another step closer to certification later this year. . .for the Boeing 787," GEnx GM Tom Brisken said. The 747 testbed was modified last month to manage the electrical load from the engine's two starter-generators and to provide power required for both electrical ground and air starts.

Boeing announced the conclusion of its deal with TAM for four 777-300ERs plus four purchase rights (ATWOnline, Nov. 2, 2006). The carrier already has taken delivery this month of two of three leased MD-11s that it will use on transatlantic operations until the GE90-115B-powered -300ERs arrive next year.

EADS board unanimously approved Airbus's Power8 restructuring plan, details of which will begin to be revealed to employees Wednesday.

Bombardier delivered 326 aircraft in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31, down from 337 deliveries in the previous year. Company officials said the 3% drop was related to reduced regional jet deliveries in the US and fewer deliveries of Learjets because of a three-week work stoppage in October. But deliveries of Q Series aircraft increased to 48 from 28. Of those, 31 were 70-seat Q400s.