Boeing has received firm orders for another 26 737s and eight 787s but has not identified the customers. The new orders take unidentified orders for the 737 to 84 and for the 787 to 29 and orders for the overall year for all models to 666, including seven cancellations. It is thought that the latest additions may be an order from Avianca, which wants to replace its MD-83 and 767 fleets with 737s and 787s.

Volvo Aero said it will join Pratt & Whitney "to demonstrate new technology" for Pratt's Geared Turbofan Technology demonstrator program. Volvo Aero said the partnership "does not involve any agreement regarding a new engine program, but the new cooperation is still an important step toward a new engine undertaking for Volvo Aero."

ATR confirmed the sale of four new ATR 72-500s that will be operated by Canary Islands-based Naysa. Total value of the contract is about $71 million. Deliveries are scheduled for 2008 and 2009. "With this sale, ATR has logged 56 sales since the beginning of the year; 2006 is confirming the strong market for turboprop aircraft," CEO Filippo Bagnato commented. Naysa currently operates Beech 1900s.

Boeing is offering just one fuselage length for the 747-8 Freighter and Intercontinental models, according to two airlines that attended a 747-8 briefing earlier this month in Hong Kong. Last month, ATWOnline revealed that the manufacturer was close to standardizing the length both to meet airline requirements and to take advantage of wind tunnel gains that gave the aircraft an additional 300 nm. of range (ATWOnline, Aug. 22).

Qatar Airways ordered 40 high-thrust GE90 engines to power 20 777s (ATWOnline, Sept. 13) it has on order for delivery beginning next year. The engine order is valued at more than $750 million. The carrier ordered 14 777-300ERs, which will be powered by GE90-115Bs, and six 777-200LRs, which will be powered by GE90-110Bs. "There is a strong working relationship between" Qatar Airways and GE, CEO Akbar Al Baker said.