Boeing yesterday confirmed that Turkish Airlines finalized its order for 10 737-800s and 10 737-900ERs (ATWOnline, Feb. 5). The manufacturer said the aircraft are worth $1.6 billion at list prices. ILFC said Istanbul Ataturk-based Onur Air leased three used A330-300s for five years each. Deliveries are scheduled for April and June.

United Aircraft Corp. of Russia announced that it signed an MOU to sell 18 An-148s to "three India-based nonscheduled air operators" in a deal valued at $400 million. Eight of the aircraft are passenger versions of the regional jet while 10 are freighters. UAC official Yuri Grudinin told reporters in Hyderabad that deliveries will start in 2011, according to Bloomberg News. Embraer delivered two E-170s to Gulf Air last week. Aircraft are on lease and will seat seven in business class and 60 in economy.

Babcock & Brown Air reported an $89.1 million profit in 2009, up 85.1% from earnings of $48.1 million the prior year, on a 30.2% lift in revenue to $307.5 million. The lessor said its aircraft portfolio "performed strongly with an annual lease utilization factor of 98%" last year. As of Dec. 31 it owned 62 Airbus and Boeing aircraft (10 A319s, 17 A320s, one A330, 19 737s, one 747, 12 757s, one 767 and one 777). It said it "expect[s] airline and financial market conditions to improve in 2010 and we will continue to evaluate aircraft acquisition opportunities."

CFM International said the new CFM56-7BE now is undergoing a 150-hr. block test and is on schedule to begin a 50-hr. flight test program in the second quarter in California. Engine certification is planned for mid-year, with flights on 737NGs set for early 2011 and entry into service by mid-2011. CFM said 737NGs equipped with the new engine will realize a 2% improvement in fuel consumption and up to a 4% reduction in maintenance costs.

ATR 42-600 flew for the first time last Thursday on a 2-hr. flight over Toulouse. Aircraft was powered by PW127Ms and underwent tests of its engines, avionics, flight data recording, automatic pilot system, hydraulic and electrical systems, among others. EADS said the flight test campaign will last just 75 hr. in part because of the "high degree of commonality" with the ATR 72-600, which began flying last July (ATWOnline, Oct. 2, 2009).