U.S. Boeing Co. reported on Tuesday that it delivered 73 commercial airplanes in the fourth quarter of last year and 290 for the whole year of 2005.

The delivery of last year was up only slightly from 2004 when the company delivered 285 airplanes. Boeing was behind Airbus for a third straight year in the commercial airplane delivery. Airbus said late last year that it expected to deliver about 370 planes in 2005.

The report showed that the bulk of Boeing's deliveries -- 52 for the fourth quarter and 212 for the year -- were its single- aisle 737. The company also delivered 10 widebody 777s, four 747s, four 717s and three 767s in the October-through-December quarter.

Boeing said recently that it have secured a record 1,002 airplane orders in 2005, ensuring strong delivery numbers in the years ahead.

Source: Xinhua