Lauda Air took delivery of its seventh and final 737-800 earlier this month. The carrier this summer will operate a fleet of nine aircraft including two A320s and expects to transport around 1.6 million passengers this fiscal year and generate turnover of €250-€260 million, MD Thomas Surtisch told ATWOnline.

Cathay Pacific Airways yesterday placed into service its first "silver bullet" freighter, a 747 stripped of almost all of its paint that is approximately 200 kg. lighter, saving more than HK$1.5 million ($193,450) in annual fuel costs. CX said all 14 of its freighters will be modified over the next couple of years, and it also will introduce cargo and baggage containers. Passenger aircraft will maintain their full livery.

Boeing will install Class 3 Electronic Flight Bags on 10 new Jet Airways 777-300ERs. Aircraft delivery is scheduled to start early next year. Jet will be the first Indian carrier to operate a Class 3 EFB. Separately, Boeing selected Smiths Aerospace to supply the thrust reverse actuator system for the 747-8. The system will be similar to the one Smiths provides for the 777 and will be designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, with deliveries expected to begin in the second quarter of 2007. Smiths said potential sales for the program could exceed $100 million.

ATR and the government of Equatorial Guinea signed a contract for two new ATR 72-500s and one new 42-500. The deal is valued at $50 million, according to ATR, which will deliver the aircraft over the next three years. "We are convinced that ATR represents the best choice to achieve our goal of renewal and expansion of our national airline," Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo said. ATR said it has received orders for 136 aircraft since Jan. 1, "some of which have not yet been announced."

Lufthansa 747-400 collapsed onto its nose at Frankfurt Monday when the nose gear gave way. A spokesperson told ATWOnline that the airline is investigating the incident, which occurred shortly before the aircraft was scheduled for pushback for a flight to New Delhi. None of the 242 passengers and 16 crewmembers onboard was reported injured. The 747 was delivered to LH in 2001, according to Reuters.

Global fleet of freighter aircraft is expected to increase more than 50% over the next 20 years, growing from the current 1,797 to nearly 3,400, according to a market forecast from BACK Aviation. Of that number, nearly 60% will be widebodies as the demand for long-haul capacity remains steady. The forecast also noted that converted passenger aircraft account for 70% of the freighter fleet.

Air One plans to install Teledyne Controls' Flight Data Interface Management Unit and Wireless GroundLink technologies on the 30 A320s it recently purchased.

General Electric said it finalized the architectural design for the version of the GEnx that will power the 747-8. Completion of this milestone, referred to as "Tollgate 6" in GE's new product nomenclature, "begins the detailed design phase of the engine." It will feature a 105-in. fan compared to 111 in. for the 787 and will be rated at 66,500 lb. thrust versus 75,000 lb. maximum takeoff thrust for the 787. Certification testing for 747-8 variant will begin next year with flight-testing aboard the 747-8 scheduled for late 2008.