Deliveries of Embraer's (Chalet C33-36) new 70- to 78-passenger EMB-170 regional jet that began in March are supercharging the São Jose dos Campos firm's otherwise flat production rates. Embraer projects it will deliver 160 total EMB-145 and -170 family aircraft this year and 170 units in 2005, said Frederico Fleury Curado, the firm's executive vp, civil aircraft.
"Back in 1999, we identified a gap in the 70- to 90-passenger seat market. There were no airplanes specifically designed for that market," Curado explained. As a result, Embraer launched the new EMB-170/190 family of four aircraft. Initially, it planned to develop the 78- to 86-seat EMB-175, but the EMB-170 proved the more popular version, so the firm pressed forward with development. The EMB-175 is on track for 4Q2004 certification. Planned 3Q2005 deliveries of the 98- to 106-seat EMB-190 are on schedule, and the 108- to 118-seat EMB-195 will reach customers in mid-2006.
About 85% of systems and avionics components are common between models, simplifying spares and parts inventories for operators. Pilots will share a common type rating because all four aircraft have identical cockpits and fly-by-wire handling characteristics. The EMB-190 and -195, though, have uprated CF34-10E engines, all-new wings, enlarged horizontal stabs and lengthened main landing gear, according to Luis Carlos Affonso, svp engineering and new product development.
First EMB-170 deliveries to USAirways began in March, followed by LOT, Alitalia and GECAS for a total of 27 units to date. Republic Airways, operating in United Express livery, recently added two EMB-170 options for a total of 20 orders/options. Embraer will build 57 EMB-170s this year and has "a very aggressive plan" to build as many as seven aircraft per month by year-end. Total deliveries to date would have been substantially greater if EMB-170 certification had occurred, as originally planned, in second quarter 2003. Software glitches, among other problems, delayed CTA, FAA and EASA certification until February 2004.
Curado said that the EMB-170 fleet has logged more than 9,700 flight hours and 7,300 flight cycles as of June, chalking up a 97.7% dispatch reliability rate and a better than 99% completion rate. Break-even factors for aircraft operated in the U.S. are just over 50%, but load factors have exceeded 70%, fattening profit margins for operators. In addition, scheduled maintenance burden is very low, with basic A-checks at 600 hours and C-checks at 6,000 hours, thereby reducing operating costs.
Operational approval for London City Airport, including special flap settings for steep approach and wet runway operations, is scheduled for early 2005. "This opens new potential for this type of aircraft in Europe," Affonso said.
