The chief designer of the 150- to 170-seat C919, Wu Guanghui, said COMAC expects to secure more orders for the CFM Leap-X-powered aircraft this year.

Boeing said on Tuesday its 747-8 Intercontinental aircraft successfully completed the first engine runs on its GEnx-2B engine. AWAS delivered one new Boeing 737-800 to Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA. The aircraft is equipped with Boeing's Sky Interior. Separately, AWAS said it acquired two Airbus A320-200s from Dublin-based Aircraft Purchase Fleet Ltd. for lease to Alitalia.

Emirates Airline President Tim Clark told ATW at ITB Berlin that all 15 of the airline's Airbus A380s operated for the first time with 100% technical dispatch reliability last week. "We have some hiccups sometimes [with the A380 operation] but the reliability is going up," he said. When EK's first A380 arrived about 220 post-factory modifications had to be made. "Today the number is about 60," he said.

Air Baltic's aging fleet, which includes 14 Boeing 737-300/500 aircraft, creates challenges in managing rising fuel prices, President and CEO Bertolt Flick told ATW this week in Los Angeles. "It is clear that we need a more modern fleet," he said.

Aeroflot placed an order for six GE90-powered Boeing 777-300ERs and two 777-200ERs, the manufacturer said Wednesday, noting the order was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on its website.