Embraer’s commercial aviation division plans to maintain production at current levels in 2014 despite receiving large aircraft orders from several US airlines in recent months.
In 2014, Embraer will produce 90 to 95 E-Jets, or roughly eight monthly – the same rate at which the manufacturer is producing the aircraft this year, says Embraer chief executive Frederico Curado.
He made his comments to reporters at Embraer’s production facility outside São Paulo, Brazil, following a ceremony marking the delivery of the company’s 1,000th E-Jet.
That aircraft, an Embraer 175, will go to Republic Airlines, which will fly it under the American Eagle brand.
However, Embraer received a host of orders from US carriers in the first half of the year.
Republic Airlines ordered 47 E-175s, United Airlines ordered 30 E-175s and SkyWest Airlines ordered 40 of the model.
In additional, Embraer booked an order from Japan Airlines for four E-170s. The manufacturer also received orders for E-190s, including seven from Venezuela-based Conviasa, two from Argentinean carrier Austral Lineas Aereas and one from Air Costa, a start-up India carrier.
Curado says Embraer is careful not to overbook its orders for fear of not being able to make timely deliveries.
“We want to make sure we don’t fall into that trap,” he says, calling overbooking a “luxury” enjoyed by larger manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.
The manufacturer’s deliveries have declined in recent months compared to last year. Embraer delivered 22 commercial jets in the second quarter of 2013, down 59%, and 39 aircraft in the first half of the year, down 44%.
Embraer must keep E-Jet production for nearly 4.5 more years, until the arrival of the second-generation E-Jet E2 in 2018. The new E2 family, including stretch models of the E-175 and E-195 and the current size of the E-190, will feature a new set of larger wings and more efficient engines. Pratt & Whitney was selected to supply the PurePower PW1700G and PW1900G geared turbofans for the E2 family.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
