Brazilian manufacturer studies four market segments as it aims to grow its portfolio
Embraer is studying new business jets in a further four market segments beyond its existing and planned portfolio and says a final decision on the next family member will be made later this year. “We are studying a mid-light jet and a mid-size aircraft below the Legacy 600,” says senior vice-president for executive aviation Luis Carlos Affonso.
“We are also analysing the possibility of launching a business jet derivative of the 170/190 and we are also analysing another possible family in the ultra-long-range market.” The broad-ranging study forms part of Embraer’s ambitious attack on the business aviation market, which it believes will demand almost 9,700 new aircraft worth $144 billion over the next 10 years – a significantly higher number than the $130-133 billion forecast by the company in 2005. Embraer captured 13% of the super mid-size category in 2005 with deliveries of 20 Legacy 600s, and with as many as 30 aircraft potentially lined up for delivery in 2006, could see this share reach 15%.
Having launched the Phenom 100 very light jet and Phenom 300 light jet in 2005, the company is stepping up investment in business aviation that it hopes will account for 20% of total revenues within a decade versus 7% today. Having spent $1 billion on the E-170/190 airliner families, Affonso says there will be “$235 million invested in business aviation to 2009 and this will go up since our vision is to approve other projects and to increase production, as well as invest in service and training centres”. Affonso says Embraer has “not yet decided what to do”, but adds: “I expect this year we will announce something in one of the segments.”
GUY NORRIS / SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS
Source: Flight International
