Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. said Friday that it has signed a letter of intent with Trans States Holdings, parent of US regional carriers Trans States Airlines and GoJet Airlines, covering a firm order for 50 MRJs plus 50 options.

Air Niugini, the Papua New Guinea flag carrier, placed a firm order for two Q400 NextGen turboprops valued at $92 million plus one option. "The Q400 NextGen aircraft follows in the footsteps of a long line of robust and reliable de Havilland and Bombardier turboprops that have served our airline very well over the years," CEO Wasantha Kumarasiri said. Bombardier now has taken firm orders for 363 Q400s with 257 delivered as of July 31.

Exactly two years after ATR announced the launch of its -600 series, the manufacturer officially presented its first ATR 72-600 prototype at a ceremony in Toulouse yesterday. The prototype -600 (converted from an ATR 72-500) started its flight test campaign in July 2009 after being powered on in December 2008. The aircraft is fitted with new Pratt & Whitney 127M engines.

Vietnam Airlines expressed concern about 787 production delays and is considering cancelling some of its 16 orders. VN has eight 787s on order while its leasing affiliate, Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Co., has an additional eight. President Pham Ngoc Minh told Reuters that the airline is "not happy about the constant delays. We expected to get our planes in 2009, then 2010, and now nobody can confirm to us which is the exact delivery date. I can be patient but it gives us a lot of headaches."

New production issues related to wiring present yet another challenge to the 787 program and threaten further delivery delays, according to a new report from Bernstein Research, which also claimed that the early stage of the A350 program is behind schedule. According to the analysts, Boeing is moving to a new model for wiring beginning with the 13th 787, while airplanes 7 through 12 are being rewired. ATWOnline confirmed the new wiring standard with a Boeing source. Dubbed "Net Change 5," it is aimed at reducing weight and improving maintainability.