Good things came in big packages for Airbus yesterday, with the European aircraft consortium scoring major sales to U.S. small package express carrier United Parcel Service and leasing company GECAS.

Value of the sales, including firm orders and options, totaled almost $7 billion. The orders bring Airbus' week-long sales total to over $10 billion, based on list prices.

At press time, the $5 billion UPS order stood as the top single deal at Farnborough '98 so far. The Atlanta, Georgia-headquarterd company specified 30 A300-600 freighters and optioned 30 more. The pact takes care of UPS A300 needs for the next 10 years, the company said.

The UPS purchase is key for Airbus for several reasons. UPS production will revive the fading A-300/310 line, which might otherwise have been shuttered. It also denies a future market to arch-competitor Boeing, which provides 757 and 767 freighters to UPS.

UPS has not yet specified an engine.

In a second major deal, leasing company General Electric Capital Aviation Services placed an order for 30 firm A320-family aircraft, with an option for 10 more. The deliveries will help meet GECAS meet aircraft placement needs in the 2003 through 2006 period, according to GE Capital president and CEO Denis J. Nayden.

The leasing company has had "tremendous success in placing Airbus aircraft into the market place," he said.

By Paul Proctor