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Embraer's 190 Is in the Flight Display,
Finnair Is Buying 170s-a Firm Dozen
"We expect a recovery mood," Fred Curado told Show News
on the eve of Farnborough 2004. And although Embraer's evp for civil
aircraft says the market still lags the time before September 11,
"The worst is behind us."
The Brazilian company is ready for recovery. The Embraer 190 regional
jet expected to be certified late next year is flying here each
day, and Embraer has just announced the sale of a dozen Embraer
170s to Finnair, a deal with eight options that could be converted
to Embraer 175s or 190s. The value of the firm Finnair order is
$306 million at list price, pegging potential value with all options
at $510 million.
The Finnair 170s will be configured to seat 76 passengers in a
single-class layout. Deliveries will begin in September 2005 and
will continue through May 2007. The Embraer jets will replace MD-80s
and ATR-72 turboprops.
"We were very, very pleased" with the order, Curado says,
in part because it takes Embraer deeper into the large-airline world.
In the same fashion, the 100-unit Embraer 190 launch order by the
discount upstart jetBlue Airways (with 100 options) was "unexpected,"
he says, and "a breakthrough."
With the Finnair order, Embraer has logged 270 firm orders and
350 options for the 170/190 family. Other customers include Air
Caraibes, Alitalia, Cirrus, GECAS, LOT Polish Airlines, Swiss, U.S.
Airways, Republic Airways and jetBlue.
Embraer says regional carriers—its principal target—will
play an increasing role in the growth of the global airline market
due to the importance of the 30- to 120-seat segment.
"Global airline growth in the 30- to 120-seat segment will
outpace GDP over the next 20 years almost two to one, growing at
an average rate of 6.1% annually through 2023," Embraer says,
citing its new 20-year forecast. The forecast has been published
in its entirety for the first time this year, and is available in
brochure form here.
An Alitalia Express-operated Embraer 170 is on static display her
at Farnborough, as is a manufacturer-owned Legacy business jet,
with new interior.
—Rich Piellisch
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The Embraers to Come
Orders and options for the Embraer 170/190 family have topped
600, and thus far only the 170 itself is certified.
The Embraer 190 in flight demos here is the second to fly,
having taken to the sky on May 9 following the type's first
flight on March 12. The aircraft is being used mostly for
evaluation of thee aircraft's new General Electric CF34-10E
engine. CF-34s are employed across the 170/190 family.
Two more Embraer 190s will join the program, with an eye
to certification of the 100-seat airplane in the third quarter
of 2005, to be followed by first deliveries to launch customer
jetBlue.
Also in flight-test at Gavião Peixoto, Brazil, are
a pair of Embraer 175s. The 78-seat jet is expected to be
certified in the fourth quarter of this year.
Flight-test results obtained so far for the 190 and 175 "are
very encouraging," Embraer says, "confirming
the very similar flying characteristics across the new family"
and maintaining commonality with the 170.
The Embraer 195 flight-test campaign will be performed by
a single pre-series aircraft expected to fly before the end
of this year, Embraer says, with certification slated for
mid-2006.
The 70-seat Embraer 170 received type certification from
Brazilian, U.S. and European civil aviation authorities in
February 2004. It is in revenue service with LOT Polish Airlines,
Alitalia Express and US Airways Express.
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8,450 New Aircraft
"Overall, growth and replacement by 2023 will require
a global fleet in the 30- to 120-seat segment of 10,000 aircraft,
up from current levels of almost 4,000 aircraft," Embraer
says, citing its new 20-year forecast. As older aircraft are
retired, approximately 8,450 new aircraft will be needed to
meet demand.
North America will account for 56% of deliveries in the 30-
to 120-seat range of aircraft over the next 20 years, with
Europe, Africa and the Middle East taking 23%, China and Asia
Pacific taking 15%, and Latin America about 6%.
China and Latin America will see revenue passenger-kilometer
growth rates of 8.1% and 7%, Embraer says, while the mature
North American market will grow in line with GDP.
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