Boeing set to regain top spot in ?05 (Reuters) ? Boeing Co. is set to surmount Airbus' 4-year order lead in 2005 thanks in part to a new unit that helps airlines fill gaps in their fleets, the jetmaker's sales head said on Tuesday. The unit, established in January, has played a key role in several successful deals this year, including a 28-plane agreement with leasing giant International Leasing Finance Corp. announced at the Paris Air Show on Tuesday. continued below Advertisement Its role is to see "where our aircraft around the world could be coming off lease that could satisfy lift requirement, particularly while a customer may be waiting for a 787," Scott Carson said at a news conference at the Paris Air Show. img src="/images/random/gewgaw02.gif"> Related story: Boeing signs $4B in aircraft deals Chicago-based Boeing is counting on the twin-aisle 787 Dreamliner to reverse European rival Airbus' lead in the commercial jet market, but the new plane will not start flying commercially until 2008. He said the asset management unit, which has 20 to 25 employees, some overlapping with the sales department, was created in January after Boeing lost orders from "a company or two late last year" because it could not provide planes to tide the airline over until the 787 Dreamliner arrives in 2008. But the unit is also working with airlines in other ways, like helping Northwest Airlines place Airbus planes it plans to replace with Boeing jets in coming years. Carson was named in December to reinvigorate marketing at Chicago-based Boeing, embarrassed last year as the 787 missed a 200-order target the aerospace group had set for itself. Since then, Boeing has seen a surge in orders for the aircraft made of composites, being sold as 20 percent more efficient than today's airliners. The asset management unit is working with lessors including GE Commercial Aviation Services and ILFC to place with airlines jets they have coming off lease, a switch from what had been a more adversarial relationship with the leasing companies, Carson said. Copyright Reuters Limited. Click for restrictions. Previous Story | Next Story Roger EWROPS