LE BOURGET, France — Airbus beat its rival Boeing in the orders stakes at the Paris Air Show but both aircraft manufacturers were encouraged that their lucrative wide-body planes were finding new customers — a sign that the global economy is on the mend. The show at Le Bourget, which alternates with the Farnborough Air Show on an annual basis, is a platform for the sales race between the world's two major aircraft makers. Though Europe's Airbus said Thursday it notched up about $70 billion in sales at the show, it acknowledged a problem with its large backlog, which will delay the delivery of jets. Boeing Co., which last week signaled it expected a lower tally than Airbus, announced orders worth $66 billion — last year Boeing won the annual orders battle at Farnborough, south of London. – AP
