A day after Virgin Atlantic and Air Canada ordered 787s, Boeing reported a thumping 26.7% increase in first-quarter net earnings to $877 million from $692 million in the year-ago period. Revenue grew 8% to $15.4 billion and earnings from operations rose 36% to $1.3 billion. Backlog reached a record $262 billion, up 23% in the past 12 months due to continued strength in commercial airplane orders and additional defense orders for the F-18 and C-17.

ATR said Swiftair of Spain ordered three 68-seat 72-500s worth a combined $55 million for delivery between December and mid-2008. Swiftair currently operates 16 ATR aircraft and expects to increase that number to 30 by 2010.

Engine Alliance GP7200, which will power the A380, attained EASA CS-E certification, the GE-Aviation/Pratt & Whitney joint venture announced. US FAA certified it in December 2005. Joint EASA and FAA aircraft certification is expected by year end. Emirates, Air France, Korean Air and ILFC have selected the engine.

The first A380 designated for launch customer Singapore Airlines is "in the paint shop" and on schedule for an October delivery, a sign that the troubled aircraft program finally is progressing normally, Airbus executives said.

SpiceJet converted options for 10 737-800s/-900s into firm orders for delivery in 2009-11, according to a company statement cited by press reports from India. Separately, SpiceJet announced the appointment of former Whirlpool of India Director-Finance/Commercial Partha Sarathi Basu as CFO.