Jet Airways, fresh off its acquisition of Air Sahara, is considering ordering the A380 or 747-8, CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer told ATWOnline. He said delivery positions for either aircraft will not be available before the 2010-11 timeframe, "when we will need more capacity."

Airbus said that A380 MSN004 returned from Iqualit, Canada, near the Arctic Circle, where it "successfully completed the cold weather test campaign." The aircraft is preparing for a trip to Singapore where it will highlight Asian Aerospace 2006, participating in the daily flying display while painted in the livery of Singapore Airlines, which will take first delivery in the fourth quarter. MSN004, the second A380 to fly, spent five days in extreme cold--down to minus 30 deg. C.--to demonstrate full functionality of systems.

Boeing delivered the 5,000th 737 to Southwest Airlines yesterday. The dash 700 is the 447th 737 to join Southwest's fleet. It expects to take delivery of 33 additional 737s in 2006.

Hamburg International, a German charter airline, ordered 14 A319s and took options on a further six. The contract was signed in December, Airbus said. Engine choice and delivery dates were not announced. According to ATW's "World Airline Report," the carrier currently operates six leased 737-700s, which it will replace with the new aircraft.

Reed Exhibitions announced that Hong Kong will be the venue for the 2007 Asian Aerospace air show and subsequent editions of the event. This year's show begins next week in Singapore, site of the previous 12. However, after a falling out with the Singapore government last year, Reed announced it would find a new venue for its biennial branded show while Singapore committed to staging a Changi International Air Show beginning in February 2008 at a 24-hectare site to be constructed in Changi North (ATWOnline, Oct. 19, 2005). The next Asian Aerospace will take place Sept.

Horizon Air will purchase two Q400 turboprops previously operated by Hainan Airlines. Aircraft will transfer from China to Calgary for refurbishment with entry into service scheduled for June and July. Horizon operates 18 Q400s.

US Airways will become the second carrier in the US after JetBlue to operate the Embraer 190 after altering an existing order for 85 170s--57 of which are still to be delivered--to an order for 25 190s and 32 additional "firm 190s subject to reconfirmation," according to a joint statement from Embraer and US Airways. The deal also includes up to 50 options for other aircraft in the 170/190 family. Deliveries will resume in November. US Airways announced the original order for 170s in May 2003 in between its two bankruptcy reorganizations.

Air Canada will install the Boeing Class 3 Electronic Flight Bag on the 777s and 787s it ordered last year (ATWOnline, Nov. 10, 2005), becoming the first North American carrier to operate a Class 3 EFB. AC will take delivery of the first of 18 777s in 2007 and the first of 14 Dreamliners the following year. Boeing is making the EFB standard on the 787.