Airbus continues to see unprecedented interest in its A320 New Engine Option (NEO) aircraft on the third day of the Paris Air show. A day of incessant rain did little to discourage the stream of orders coming in. Boeing's European rival signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with recently-merged AviancaTaca for 51 A320s, including 33 A320NEOs today. The agreement will result in the largest NEO order in Latin America. The choice of engines will be decided upon shortly.

Chilean carrier LAN Airlines, meanwhile, became the first airline in the region to sign a firm order for the A320NEO. Engine selection will be announced by the airline at a later date. The purchase agreement brings LAN’s total Airbus orders to more than 170 aircraft and follows on the heels of LAN’s purchase of 50 A320 family aircraft last December.

Republic Airways Holdings, Inc. has also become a launch customer for the A319NEO, with its MOU for 80 A320NEOs, comprising 40 A320NEOs and 40 A319NEOs. The parent company of US-based Frontier Airlines selected CFM International’s LEAP-X engine for all 80 new aircraft.

ALAFCO, the Kuwait-based leasing group, signed an agreement for 30 A320NEOs today, following the placing of an earlier firm order for six A350-900s. The Kuwaiti airline has already ordered 26 A320s of which 25 have been delivered.

Finally, Airbus has seen IndiGo firm up the orders it placed in January 2011 for 30 A320s and 150 A320NEOs. Worth USD 16.2bn at list prices, the deal is largest single aircraft order in history. The A320s will be delivered until 2015, while the NEOs will arrive from 2015 until 2024.

Russian airline UTair sealed a deal with Boeing to purchase 40 Boeing 737NGs, comprising 33 737-800s and seven Boeing 737-900ERs. Deliveries will are slated to take place from 2013 until 2016. The deal will be financed through a consortium of commercial banks and EXIM Bank.

ATR brought Ecuadorian airline TAME on board as a new client. The South American group signed an order for three ATR 42-500s at ATR’s chalet in the Air Show grounds this morning. The deal was valued at USD 54m and will be financed by the Ecuadorian government, which has full ownership of TAME. Deliveries will occur in September and October this year, culminating in February 2012.

Minutes later, NAC chairman Martin Møller signed for 10 ATR 72-600s, with options for an additional 10 aircraft. More details on the deal can be found in the article released earlier today on Aviation Exchange.

Metz-based French manufacturer GECI Aviation saw Indonesian group PT Sky Aviation sign an MOU for 10 Skylander SK-105s, with a further 10 options.

Privately-owned Thai airline Kan Air, meanwhile, signed an MOU for two Skylander SK-105s, with three options.

Malaysian airline group Transasia Resources made a firm order for eight Skylander SK-105s and a further four options.

By Fay Sanders, with additional reporting from James Mellon and Marc Payne