Continental Airlines in February will begin to introduce 37-seat Q200s on Continental Connection flights operated by CommutAir from Cleveland. The 16 turboprops will replace 19-seat Beech 1900s currently in service. The aircraft transition is expected to be completed in spring 2008.

Germanwings updated its fleet delivery schedule, saying it will add five new A319s next year and seven A320 family aircraft in 2007. It currently operates 24 A320 family aircraft. It projects it will carry 10 million passengers in 2008.

WHEN COMMERCIAL JET goes looking for customers for its 737-300/-400 cargo conversions later this year, the Miami-based maintenance and refurbishment center plans to offer a differentiator it thinks will set it apart from the competition: The best new avionics in cookie-cutter cockpits. Along with its partner in the effort, Universal Avionics, Commercial Jet is planning to retrofit a slew of 737 Classics with large-format liquid crystal displays, flight management systems, terrain awareness warning systems and even Universal's new synthetic vision product. Once its supplemental type

EADS, continuing its overhaul of Airbus management, yesterday appointed Fabrice Bregier, 45, COO of the aircraft manufacturer effective immediately. He will report to new Airbus CEO Louis Gallois, with whom he will form the Airbus President's Office, EADS said in a statement. Bregier previously was head of the EADS Eurocopter Division and has served as president and CEO of the Eurocopter Group since 2003. In addition, EADS CFO Hans Peter Ring was named Airbus CFO. He will retain his post at EADS.

Shanghai Airlines became an Airbus customer for the first time with an order for five A321s. The aircraft are part of China Aviation Supplies Import and Export Group's order for 150 A320 family aircraft placed last year. Although the airline operates a nearly all-Boeing fleet (it said it flies 13 757-200s, six 767-300s, six 737-700s and 16 737-800s), President Zhou Chi said the A321 "meet[s] our strategic development plan," which includes "entering into the new phase of expanding internationally and comprehensively."

Boeing said yesterday that it has settled on the firm configuration of the 747-8 freighter and is aiming to deliver the first of the type to Cargolux in the second half of 2009. The 747-8F will be longer than the dash 400F by 5.6 m. (18.3 ft.) with a maximum structural payload capability of 140 metric tonnes (154 tons) and a range of 8,288 km. (4,475 nm.).

Gol exercised 20 737-800 options, bringing its firm orders for the type to 87, the Brazilian LCC announced yesterday. It also added 20 options, bringing the total back to 34. It took delivery of the first aircraft under the order on July 30. By year end it will operate 14 737-300s, 30 dash 700s and 21 dash 800s. At year end 2012 it will have 10 dash 700s and 91 dash 800s in its fleet.

Qantas gave Airbus a lift with an order for an additional eight A380s, taking its firm commitments to 20 of the aircraft. It also ordered four more A330-200s to be delivered between December 2007 and September 2008 to help with the shortfall in capacity resulting from the A380 delay. In addition, it committed to five more 737-800s, which will take its fleet of that type to 38.