Boeing bags record number of orders

The net orders received last year went up from 1,002 in 2005, setting records for two years in succession, it said.

Gross orders in 2006, which exclude cancellations and conversions, totalled 1,050. It recorded 1,029 gross orders in 2005.

For the second year in a row, Boeing 727 medium haul plane proved to be the most popular with company receiving orders for 729 planes, up by 569 in 2005.

Boeing said it also had strong year across the board in twin-aisle commercial planes, getting 157 orders for 787 Dreamliner, 76 for 777s, 10 for 767s and 72 for 747s.

"2006 was another outstanding year for our customers and for us. Beyond the order totals, we are very excited about the breadth and depth of our 2006 order book. We have secured significant orders from customers around the globe and across our product line as we continue to build a strong, well-balanced backlog," Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and chief executive officer, Scott Carson said.

In 2006, the company said it received orders from 76 different customers, including passenger airlines, cargo carriers, leasing companies, and private customers.

"The strong orders for the past two years are a validation of our strategy of focusing on our customers, simplifying our product and services offerings and transforming our production system," Carson said.