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LAN Airlines Orders 767-300ER Blended Winglet Systems for Passenger & Freighter Fleets

Posted on: Thursday, 3 May 2007, 00:00 CDT

SEATTLE, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Partners Boeing announced today that Santiago-based LAN Airlines has ordered 8 Blended Winglet Systems for 767-300F freighters and 7 Systems for 767-300ER passenger aircraft along with options for 20 additional Systems. First installation will take place at LAN's maintenance base in Santiago immediately following certification in the 4th quarter of 2008 with the installations expected to be complete by the end of the 1st quarter of 2010.

"LAN is a premier carrier, with a long term commitment to 767 operations, and a most welcome Launch Customer for our first wide-body Blended Winglet Program," says Aviation Partners President and CEO John Reimers. "With their long-haul route structure -- including operations to North America, Europe and the South Pacific -LAN is perfectly positioned to obtain maximum benefit from Blended Winglet Technology."

LAN Airlines, today, operates approximately 80 aircraft, carried approximately 9 million passengers and 565,000 tons of cargo during 2006, and is consistently named 'Best airline in Latin America.' On the passenger side, the LAN alliance includes LAN Airlines, LAN Express, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru. On the cargo side, it includes LAN Cargo and its affiliates.

This high-utilization global aircraft, the 767-300ER with an 11-foot advanced technology Blended Winglet, is expected to achieve up to a 5% savings in fuel consumption, depending on the length of the flight. Blended Winglets will also extend the range of the aircraft by as much as 360 nautical miles and improve take-off performance, providing as much as 12,000 pounds of additional payload capability.

"We expect that this new technology, part of a long term strategic project, will allow LAN to operate in a more efficient manner," stated Jorge Ihnen, LAN Airline's Operations Vice President.

APB has certified its patented Blended Winglet technology for the Boeing Business Jet, 737-800, 737-700, 737-300, and 757-200. APB is also currently in the process of certifying Blended Winglets for the 737-900 and 737-500. Today, over 1,600 Boeing aircraft have been equipped with Blended Winglets. By 2010, APB expects that Blended Winglets will have saved the world's airlines over 2 billion gallons of fuel.

http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com/ * Patent No. 5348253

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements may include words such as "anticipate,""estimate,""expect,""project,""intend,""plan,""believe" or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts, including statements about our beliefs and expectations. These statements are based on current plans, estimates and projections, and, therefore, you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward- looking statement. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly any of them, whether in light of new information, future events or otherwise.

Aviation Partners Boeing

CONTACT: Patrick LaMoria, VP Sales and Contracts of Aviation PartnersBoeing, +1-206-830-7699

Web site: http://www.aviationpartnersboeing.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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