Outside the world of business aviation, a significant number of commercial aircraft orders were placed this week.

Trans World Airlines placed an order with Boeing for four 757-200s that are to deliver next year. TWA will also lease one extended-range 767-300ER from International Lease Finance Corp, also to be delivered in 1999. The acquired airplanes give TWA a fleet of 27 Boeing 757-200s and five 767-300s by January 2000.

The additional aircraft will also decrease the average age of TWA's fleet. By the end of the decade, TWA will have replaced more than 41 % of its fleet within three and a half years.

The new 757-200s will replace TWA's remaining fleet of old Boeing 727-200s by the end of next year.

Meanwhile, Boeing's rival in Europe received its own share of healthy orders last week. Lufthansa German Airlines placed a firm order for 16 additional Airbus airplanes, including 10 A340-300s and six A321s.

Lufthansa is Airbus's largest airline customer, and the additional order for A340-300s makes Lufthansa the largest A340 customer worldwide. In Lufthansa's configuration the A340-300s will seat 247 passengers on flights up to 7,300 nm.

General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) firmed up its orders for 30 Airbus A320 family aircraft last week. The order, announced originally at Farnborough, includes one A319, 15 A320s and 14 A321s. Deliveries begin in 2003 and continue through 2006. All of the planes will be powered by CFMI engines.