This image provided by the Boeing Company shows the hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system, a demonstrator that will stay aloft at 65,000 feet for up to four days. According to Boeing, the Phantom Eye is powered by two 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines that provide 150 horsepower each. It has a 150-foot wingspan, will cruise at approximately 150 knots and can carry up to a 450-pound payload. – AP FARNBOROUGH, England - Plane makers notched up more orders on the third day of the Farnborough International Airshow on Wednesday - bringing the tally past $25 billion - as a resurgence in commercial aviation offset the gloom from governments' sharp cuts to defense programs. EADS-owned Airbus took the limelight early Wednesday, booking orders from Germania, an airline based in Berlin, and Indonesian national carrier Garuda. Thai Airways also made a commitment to buy seven A330-300s worth $1.48 billion at catalog prices, which Airbus expects to be firmed up by the end of the summer. More than $14 billion in airplane orders from lessors and Asia-Pacific carriers dominated the third day of the Farnborough Airshow, as manufacturers stood ready to raise their forecasts for the year on the back of strong demand. Leasing subsidiary RBS Aviation Capital put its name to orders for 52 Airbus A320 family planes and 43 Boeing 737 family aircraft, all of which had been previously listed on the planemakers' books as sales to unnamed buyers. Add to that orders from the likes of Garuda, Thai Air, Qantas and Qatar Airways and manufacturers were ready to improve their forecasts for 2010 orders. Garuda CEO Emirsyah Satar said the airline planned to use its purchase of six long-range A330-200s, worth $1.1 billion at catalog prices, to expand its new premium service “to more international destinations in a profitable and efficient way.” Airbus also firmed up its previous memorandum of understanding with Germania, signing a contract for five Airbus A319s. The deal is the airline's first with Airbus, marking a win for the European company over arch-rival Boeing as Germania starts a complete fleet rollover to eco-efficient Airbus A319s. ALAFCO, the Kuwait-based international Aviation Lease and Finance Company, said it has converted its existing firm order for 12 Airbus A350-800s placed in 2007, into the higher capacity A350 -900 model. Boeing said Air Austral, a French airline based on the island of Reunion, had ordered two long-range 777-200 Worldliner aircraft, worth $501 million at catalog prices. It also revealed that Qatar Airways had ordered two 777-200LRs for the same price. Both deals had been concluded previously but the name of the buyer had not been disclosed. Qatar also revealed that it was taking earlier delivery of Boeing's 787 jetliner to meet increased demand. “Air travel demand is continuing to rise in the Middle East and it is becoming clear that international demand is returning as the global economy shows signs of recovery,” said Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker. Meanwhile, smaller rival Bombardier said Australian carrier Qantas Airways ordered seven Q400 turboprop airliners, worth $218 million at list prices. The catalog prices often represent an inflated value on the deals as airlines typically negotiate substantial discounts. The renewed optimism in commercial aviation, however, could not dispel the bad news from the defense industry, where governments are cutting budgets after spending billions bailing the global economy. On Tuesday the cuts to Western military budgets were the talk of Farnborough. In the US, the world's biggest single defense market, the Pentagon is looking to trim some $100 billion from personnel and procurement costs over the next five years.
