Flight International online news 09:00GMT: Chinese joint venture company Harbin Embraer has secured a deal with China Eastern Wuhan Airlines for five locally built ERJ-145s.
Embraer China says China Eastern Wuhan has already inked the five-aircraft order although it is subject to final approval from the airline’s board. If the deal is consummated quickly the first ERJ-145 could be delivered in 2006.
This deal for Chinese-built 50-seat ERJ-145s comes after China Eastern’s branch in Jiangsu province consummated a deal earlier this year for five of the type, of which the first was delivered in August and the second this month.
All five aircraft from the first China Eastern deal are to be based in Nanjing while the five from the second order are to be based in Wuhan.
Embraer has been pursuing a deal with Wuhan for some time. The airline signed a memorandum of understanding in 2001 for 10 Brazilian-built ERJ-145s but the deal was never firmed up. China Eastern bought into the smaller carrier in 2002.
Harbin Embraer is a joint venture between Embraer and China Aviation Industries II (AVIC II) based in the northeast Chinese city of Harbin.
LEITHEN FRANCIS/BEIJING
Source: Flight International
