SkyEurope Airlines of Slovakia placed an order for up to 32 new 737-700s. The agreement reached with Boeing and GECAS includes 16 firm orders to be delivered in 2006 and 2007, with options on another 16 aircraft for delivery in 2008-09. Twelve of the 16 firm orders will be financed by GECAS. The deal is valued at $880 million and could go up to $1.7 billion if all options are exercised.

Qantas has widened its fleet restructuring plans to include the 787 and A350. CFO Peter Gregg told ATWOnline that the airline is "evaluating 777-300/-200 and 787-3/-9 and A340-600/A350 combinations" to replace its 747-400s/-300s, 767s and A330s. Qantas is expected to place an order for 60 aircraft in the second half of 2005, but Gregg watered down speculation that an order may come out of a May board meeting. "We will only be updating the board," he told this website.

Driven by strong performance across all of its divisions, Airbus parent EADS reported net income of €328 million ($420.7 million) for the first quarter ended March 31, up significantly over net income of €49 million in the prior-year period. Revenue climbed 16% to €7.01 billion and EBIT more than tripled to €657 million from €198 million in the 2004 quarter. "The first quarter result confirms our 2005 targets for EBIT and revenue growth with a solid cash position," CEOs Philippe Camus and Rainer Hertrich said in a statement.

The GE90-110-powered 777-200LR set a world record for a twinjet last week when it took off from SeaTac for stall tests at 783,000 lb., eclipsing the record of 774,600 lb. (351,300 kg.) set by the 777-300ER as part of its certification program on May 28, 2003.

AWAS delivered a CFM56-3B1-powered 737-500 to Bulgaria Air, which the airline will use to operate flights from its hub in Sofia to destinations throughout Europe. AWAS also delivered a CFM56-3C1-powered 737-300 to bmibaby.

Boeing selected Jamco Corp. to provide flightdeck interiors, including a stowage area, linings and the stowage consoles near the seats, along with the flightdeck door and bulkhead assembly, for the 787. Earlier this year, Jamco was chosen to supply the lavatories for the aircraft. "Boeing has a longstanding relationship with Jamco," 787 Program VP and GM Mike Bair said. "They are repeatedly winners of our top recognition awards for quality and performance. It's a natural for them to be a part of the 787 team."

The US National Transportation Safety Board said yesterday it has noted "significant differences between the circumstances" in which an Air Transat A310 lost most of its composite rudder during the cruise phase of flight and the rudder separation that led to the crash of an American Airlines A300 in November 2001 that killed 265 people in the air and on the ground.

Bmibaby plans to add three 737-300s to increase its fleet from 16 to 19 aircraft. It will take delivery of the new long-term-leased 737s this fall. Over the coming months it will be working with the airports it serves to identify where the new aircraft will be based and which routes they will be flying. "The additional aircraft will mean that by 2006 more than 4.5 million passengers will be flying with bmibaby, consolidating the airline as the second-largest low-cost carrier based in the UK," MD David Bryon commented.