SpiceJet ordered 10 737-800 Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglet shipsets for installation beginning in January. Separately, Aviation Partners Boeing said CEO Mike Marino resigned Nov. 11 "to pursue other interests." The search for a replacement will begin immediately.

Regional Express of Australia took delivery of a Saab 340B from Skyways Aviation of Sweden. The aircraft previously was operated by Carpatair of Romania. REX began operations in 2002 following the merger of Hazelton and Kendell airlines. It operates a domestic network from bases in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne.

Boeing's 777-200LR Worldliner achieved a new distance record of 11,664 nm. (21,601 km.) when it touched down in London at 13:06 UTC yesterday, 22 hr. 42 min. after it departed Hong Kong Wednesday night at 10:30 p.m. local time. The GE90-110B1-powered aircraft took off at 711,000 lb., well under its MTOW of 766,000 lb. Liftoff was 40 sec. after power-up and it reached its initial cruising altitude of 29,000 ft. in just 18 min.

European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. posted a 41% rise in operating profit to €2.09 billion ($2.46 billion) for the nine months ended Sept. 30 owing mainly to strong deliveries at Airbus and increased cost savings from the Route06 program.

JetBlue began its Embraer 190 service Tuesday with a flight from Boston Logan to New York JFK. It will accept 26 190s through 2006 and has a total of 101 on firm order, with options for 100 more through 2016 (ATWOnline, Sept. 14-15).

Airbus and China Aviation Industry Corp. signed a protocol extending a $500 million contract to produce A320 family wing boxes in China. The agreement was signed in the presence of Chinese President Hu Jintao and British Prime Minister Tony Blair during the former's visit to London. The initial contract committed the parties to the third phase of the A320 Family Wing Cooperation Program, including wing box production and now the management of a second-tier supply chain.

Swiss withdrew the last Saab 2000 from its fleet on Oct 29 after a flight from Palma to Basel.

ACE Aviation Holdings, parent of Air Canada, concluded its previously announced order with Boeing covering 18 777s, plus purchase rights for 18 more, in a yet-to-be-determined mix of 777-300ERs, 777-200LRs and 777Fs with deliveries beginning next March. The deal also includes firm orders for 14 787 Dreamliners plus options and purchase rights for an additional 46 with deliveries starting in 2010. The order originally was placed in April but was suspended after Air Canada was unable to reach a satisfactory agreement with its pilots union on pay rates and work rules for the new fleet.