Can't any aerospace company deliver its promised new planes on time?

In recent years, the answer has almost always been "no."

Airbus didn't help the aerospace industry's reputation for timeliness recently in press reports that disclosed that the company's first A400M military airlifter won't be delivered until 2013.

That puts the plane more than four years behind schedule and opens up possibilities for Boeing and Lockheed-Martin to fill the gap with sales of their transport planes.

European governments have ordered 152 of the aircraft for their military operations.

Reports in the European press say the plane is nearly 12 tons overweight. It is plagued by engine problems and software glitches.

Airbus will likely ask European governments for additional aid to get the plane built.

The A400M was designed to fill the size gap between Lockheed-Martin's C-130J and Boeing's larger C-17 jet transport.

The U.S. Air Force recently ordered 15 more of the C-17s. That order will keep Boeing's assembly line in Long Beach, Calif., going through 2010.

Boeing has already sold four of the transports to Great Britain and additional planes to a group of NATO countries that will share the planes.

Being a person known to make the occasional wager, I’m pleased to read House Bill 1273 – which was recently introduced at the Legislature.

Sponsored by Reps. Gary Condotta and Mike Armstrong (R’s - Apple Country), the bill would allow counties, cities and towns to conduct raffles. These municipalities would thus join non-profit, charitable and other entities (including – who knew? – credit unions) in the ability to let people gamble for the benefit of a worthy cause.

The bill has been placed on the floor calendar for a second reading, so it actually has a chance of passing. In which case, well, I can just imagine the bountiful consequences.

Tall Ships? No problem getting the funding next time around. But a ticket and wait for the drawing and a chance to win a night of sailing on Commencement Bay. Tacoma’s city budget? No problem. Forget the B&O tax. Buy a ticket and if you win, Bill Baarsma washes your car. Pierce County needs more funds for additional executive salaries? Just imagine a first prize dinner cooked by Sheriff Paul Pastor and Councilmember Barbara Gelman.

I’m thinking maybe lutefisk bolognese.

Boeing will deliver its first 777 Freighter Thursday to launch customer Air France at Everett's Paine Field.

The new cargo version of the twin-engine wide-bodied jet is capable of flying 5500 miles nonstop with a full payload of 226,700 pounds.

The new aircraft has been in the test phase since last summer. The jet will be produced on the same production line as the 777 passenger jet at Boeing's Everett plant.

State regulators are trying to shut down a Kent-based moving company that has been operating illegally in Washington since last fall.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission today filed an enforcement petition against All My Sons Moving and Storage, according to a new release from the WUTC.

The petitions asks that the Thurston County Superior court enforce an order from November 2008 that cancelled the company's permit to operate an in-state moving business.

That order followed WUTC investigations that revealed that All My Sons repeatedly overcharged customers, inaccurately estimated the cost of moves and mishandled customers' damage claims,according to the news release.

The News Tribune called All My Sons for comment. The company has not responded.

The commission also found that All My Sons repeatedly violated state laws and rules governing moving companies. The company has received 60 customer complaints, more than any other permitted residential moving company in the state.

Though All My Sons permit was cancelled, the company did not stop its moving operations, according to the UTC court filing. In fact, a customer complaint included in today's court filing is for a move that the company conducted Nov. 19, 2008, which is after the company’s permit had been revoked.

The company's Web site continues to offer rate quotes for in-state residential moves. And a November 16 news release from All My Sons solicits customers to hire the carrier for residential moving services in the Seattle area.

The UTC is the state’s watchdog agency in charge of enforcing consumer protection and safety regulations for more than 200 residential moving companies operating within the state. Movers must charge proper rates, carry insurance and keep their vehicles safely maintained. The commission does not regulate interstate moving companies.

You may have noticed the ship carrying four massive container cranes floating in Commencement Bay last month. Two of the cranes -- some of the largest in the world -- were bound for a container terminal at the Port of Tacoma.

So how'd were the 273-foot monster machines moved from ship to shore? You can find out by watching a narrated slideshow posted this week on the Port of Tacoma Web site.