EVA Air sold an MD-11 freighter to Wells Fargo Bank for $55 million, booking a gain of TWD50 million ($1.5 million) on the deal, Dow Jones reported. EVA now operates nine MD-11Fs, but will continue to sell the aircraft as it converts nine 747-400 Combis into freighters, an EVA spokesperson told the news service. Separately, the carrier took delivery of its seventh 316-seat 777-300ER and will operate it on Taipei-Los Angeles service. An eighth -300ER will be serving LAX by year end. EVA flies the route 17-times-weekly.

Etihad Airways will lease two Trent 772B-powered A330-200s from CIT Aerospace, with delivery scheduled in January and March 2009. Etihad CEO James Hogan said the aircraft will have a "major impact" on both its short- and long-haul networks.

Aviation Partners Boeing announced an order for 15 blended winglet shipsets for Delta Air Lines 767-300ERs. DL now plans to install winglets on 30 -300s by early 2010 and holds options on the remainder, APB said.

Aviation Capital Group signed a firm contract with Airbus for six A319s, 15 A320s and four A321s collectively valued at $1.8 billion. The lessor already had 96 A320 family aircraft in its portfolio or on firm order. MD and CEO Stephen Hannahs said the decision to order more was based on "high customer demand." No delivery dates or engine choices for the new orders were announced.

"It would have been a miracle for Boeing to have flown the 787 on time," Emirates President Tim Clark said, adding that the delay would not be a factor in the airline's evaluation of the 787 and A350 for an order for 100 aircraft.