Embattled EADS Co-CEO Noel Forgeard insisted Wednesday that he will not resign despite the recent disclosure of major new delays in the A380 program and growing questions about his March sale of €2.5 million ($3.2 million) in stock options three months prior to EADS' stock sinking 26% on news of the setbacks (ATWOnline, June 19).

SkyEurope Airlines yesterday announced the conversion of five 737-700 purchase rights into firm orders, bringing its commitment to the 737 to 21. The five aircraft, which the airline said have an estimated value of $295 million, will be equipped with winglets and are scheduled for delivery in 2008. SkyEurope currently operates five dash 700s and still holds 11 purchase rights for aircraft to be delivered through 2010.

Embraer President and CEO Mauricio Botelho said he is pleased with the success of the company's new Phenom very light jet program to date and expects to capture one-third of the market and produce up to 1,000 VLJs. Speaking at the Aero Club of Washington yesterday, Botelho said, "We believe the VLJ will play an important role in the transportation market," citing its "exceptional performance and lower operating costs." The first Phenom delivery is expected in 2008. Botelho also said Embraer expects to deliver its 100th ERJ-145 later this year.

Northwest Airlines said it will accelerate the retirement of its 12 remaining DC-10s, all GE CF6-50-powered dash 30s, over the next seven months. It is the last Major US passenger airline to operate the type. The DC-10s will be replaced with newly arriving A330s on transatlantic services and three parked 747-400s that are being returned to service on transpacific routes, NWA said. Currently, DC-10s operate on seven routes. After Oct. 31, the only remaining DC-10 service will be the carrier's daily Minneapolis/St. Paul-Honolulu trip. The final flight will take place Jan.

TAM signed an MOU yesterday with Airbus to acquire 37 aircraft, boosting both the manufacturer's flagging fortunes and the airline's hopes for domestic dominance as Varig lingers on the verge of shutdown.

Bellview Airlines of Nigeria will launch a total fleet renewal by adding the first of six new A320s to its fleet by the fourth quarter, phasing out its 737 Classics. The fleet change should be complete by September 2007. Bellview also is undergoing IATA's Operational Safety Audit program. There are no changes planned to its long-haul fleet of two 767-200ERs.

A380 achieved another step on its path toward certification by year end when all 16 emergency slides were deployed simultaneously using only the aircraft's battery power. The test was conducted as part of the overall EASA and FAA certification program. According to Airbus, this is the largest number of evacuation slides ever inflated at the same time in any passenger aircraft.

Gol placed its 49th and 50th 737s into service yesterday and revised its fleet plan for 2006-08, adding two 737-700s this year, one next year and another in 2008. The additions follow a more extensive fleet plan revision announced last month (ATWOnline, May 18).