Company Watch - Boeing.

For more global news, data, analysis and features, please go to: http://www.AirGuideOnline.com/professional.htm Sep 25, 2006

Q Investments, a Fort Worth-based private equity fund, is putting Q Aviation on the block and has retained Deutsche Bank Securities to advise it. The company said it owns 53 Airbus and Boeing aircraft recently appraised at $1.2 billion. According to the AirGuideAircraft database, 26 are listed under the Q Aviation LP name. They comprise eight A319s, 10 757s, four A320s, two A330s, one 737-400 and one 737-500, all of which are in service. The 737-500 is leased to Bulgarian Airlines and the remaining 25 are leased to Northwest Airlines and US Airways. Sep 21, 2006

Aircraft lessor hopes to sell assets. Aircraft lessor Q Aviation hopes to sell all or part of its portfolio to cash in on the increased value of its investment. The company, founded in 2003, owns 53 Boeing and Airbus jetliners. Its portfolio is worth $1.2 billion. Sep 20, 2006

Boeing sells $4 billion worth of aircraft, including 16 787s, to unidentified buyers. Boeing revealed yesterday that it has sold 16 more 787s and 30 additional 737s to unidentified buyers in deals cumulatively valued at about $4 billion. Combined with a Boeing Business Jet order for a 737 announced yesterday, the manufacturer has booked 632 net orders in 2006, including 102 for 787s and 477 for 737s, according to its online order book. Sep 22, 2006

Boeing's Composite Manufacturing Center last week began fabrication of the first composite stringers for the 787 vertical fin, the largest Dreamliner assembly slated to be built by an internal Boeing division. CMC plans to deliver its first fully functional vertical fin to 787 final assembly in Everett, Wash., in spring 2007. Sep 20, 2006

Boeing 747-400LCF Large Cargo Freighter, critical to the manufacturer's global strategy for building 787s, touched down at Everett, Wash., Saturday to start its flight-test program in earnest. The 747-400LCF first flew in Taipei Sept. 9 and conducted two test flights before making the ferry flight to Everett. The flight-test program is expected to last through year end, when the aircraft will begin shuttling wing boxes and fuselage sections among Boeing's 787 manufacturing bases worldwide. Two more 747s are being modified to dash 400LCFs by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp. Sep 19, 2006

Boeing considers replacing 737 with two planes. Boeing may eventually replace the 737 with two airplanes that will serve two different markets. Boeing is studying the market for airliners with 80 to 90 seats. It will also need to build a plane for carriers that want airliners with more than 200 seats. Sep 19, 2006

Aeroflot CEO Valery Okulov said this week that the carrier will buy long-haul aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus, with plans to purchase 22 from each. A major Aeroflot stakeholder earlier this week signed a preliminary agreement with Boeing for 22 787s. Sep 22, 2006

Aeroflot stakeholder signs preliminary agreement for 22 787s. Russia's National Reserve Corp., a major stakeholder in Aeroflot, signed a preliminary agreement for 22 787s, according to Russian daily Kommersant, which reported that the airline has transferred rights on the 787s to the shareholder because Russian authorities have not yet approved the deal for Aeroflot. It is understood that terms for the 787 purchase were due to expire Friday. The transaction, which has been underway for 12 months, has been affected by political considerations following Russian state-owned bank Vneshtorgbank's purchase of more than $1 billion worth of Airbus parent EADS shares and indications from Moscow that it is interested in playing a management role in the aerospace giant. Aeroflot indicated last week that it will buy both the 787 and A350 XWB. Sep 20, 2006

All Nippon Airways, which launched the 787 program with an order for 50, has chosen the industry's first commercial electric braking system, Goodrich announced yesterday. "We anticipated demand for an alternative to traditional, hydraulically actuated braking and began the pursuit of electronically actuated braking more than a decade ago," Goodrich Airframe Systems Segment President Jack Carmola said. "The selection of our system by an airline such as ANA is an endorsement of the innovative technology we've introduced to the industry." ANA also chose Goodrich to supply wheels for the aircraft. Sep 21, 2006

Aging MD-80s keep costs low at upstart airline. Discount upstart carrier Allegiant Air has built its business model around the aging MD-80. The company has purchased its used planes for about $4 million each, far less than the cost of new jetliners. Allegiant, which flies nonstop from 40 small cities to Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla., hopes to raise $100 million in an initial public offering. Sep 21, 2006

Boeing yesterday concluded its purchase of aviation parts and aftermarket services provider Aviall for $1.7 billion and the assumption of $448 million in debt. Aviall will report to Boeing Commercial Aviation Services and operate as a wholly owned subsidiary. It employs around 1,000 and maintains customer service centers in North America, Europe and Asia. It is considered the largest independent provider of new aviation parts and related aftermarket services, distributing products for approximately 220 manufacturers. Boeing previously said the purchase would be "modestly accretive" to its 2007 earnings and will have an "immaterial earnings impact" this year. Sep 21, 2006

Goodrich yesterday officially opened its new nacelle integration facility in Everett, Wash., to support 787 final assembly. Sep 21, 2006

Goodrich will provide wheels, brakes for All Nippon 787s. All Nippon Airways has picked Goodrich to supply wheels and electric brakes for its new 787s. The contract is worth about $64 million over 15 years. All Nippon, the launch customer for the 787, is the first Asian carrier to select a company to provide wheels and brakes for the plane. Sep 20, 2006

KLM Engineering and Maintenance and Boeing Commercial Aviation Services have teamed to provide component maintenance services for Toronto-based Sunwing Airlines' 737NGs. The carrier currently operates three of the type with plans to add 10-15 more over the next five years. Sep 19, 2006

Boeing added Rockwell Collins to its 787 GoldCare team, which will aim to provide carriers operating 787s with comprehensive line and base maintenance support as well as supply chain management on a cost-per-flight-hr. basis. "Rockwell provides displays, communication and surveillance systems, pilot controls and the core network cabinet for the 787 and under GoldCare will be responsible for ensuring spare parts are available, managing the maintenance of parts removed from the aircraft and ensuring that equipment reliability is optimized," Boeing said. Sep 18, 2006