Qatar Airways ordered 40 high-thrust GE90 engines to power 20 777s (ATWOnline, Sept. 13) it has on order for delivery beginning next year. The engine order is valued at more than $750 million. The carrier ordered 14 777-300ERs, which will be powered by GE90-115Bs, and six 777-200LRs, which will be powered by GE90-110Bs. "There is a strong working relationship between" Qatar Airways and GE, CEO Akbar Al Baker said.

Italy's My Way Airlines yesterday placed a firm order with Bombardier for 19 CRJ900s in a deal valued at $702 million and the manufacturer said 15 of the firm orders will convert to the CRJ900X if it launches the stretched version of the 90-seat regional jet. My Way, which was founded by former executives of defunct Volare, operates scheduled services in Europe and the Middle East with five A320s. It plans to operate the CRJ900s on domestic and regional routes.

Uzbekistan Airways said it successfully tested an IL-114-100 retrofitted with Rockwell Collins digital avionics and Pratt & Whitney engines. The revamped aircraft, which the carrier said meets ICAO standards, was remodeled in cooperation with Tashkent Aircraft Production Corp., the Ilyushin Design Bureau and the Russian Research Institute. The airline intends to use 10 such aircraft on domestic routes.

Caribbean Star Airlines took delivery of its third new Q300, which will begin service pending certification from the Eastern Caribbean CAA. A fourth Q300 is expected to join the fleet by the end of the month.

Pratt & Whitney and MTU Aero Engines completed assembly of the first production PW6000 last week at MTU's Langenhagen facility. LAN Airlines is the launch customer for the PW6000-powered A318.

Boeing revealed yesterday that it has sold 16 more 787s and 30 additional 737s to unidentified buyers in deals cumulatively valued at about $4 billion. Combined with a Boeing Business Jet order for a 737 announced yesterday, the manufacturer has booked 632 net orders in 2006, including 102 for 787s and 477 for 737s, according to its online order book.

Aeroflot CEO Valery Okulov said this week that the carrier will buy long-haul aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, with plans to purchase 22 from each. A major Aeroflot stakeholder earlier this week signed a preliminary agreement with Boeing for 22 787s (ATWOnline, Sept. 20).

Confirming speculation by BAE Systems Chairman Mike Turner and others, Airbus parent EADS admitted yesterday that there will be "further delays" to the beleagured A380 program owing to "continuing" issues related to aircraft wiring (ATWOnline, Sept. 20).