Embraer has no plans to pursue a new narrowbody offering unless Boeing opts to abandon the 120- to 150-seat market in favour of a 180-seat aircraft, according to the airframer's executive vice-president airline market Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva.
If Boeing decides to move to a larger narrowbody in the 180-plus seat range, "that would be important information for us", said de Souza e Silva at the RAA annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee on 17 May, adding one of the "strongest players" in the 130- to 150-seat market would no longer be competing in that segment.
Boeing has recently said that any new aircraft it develops in the narrowbody sector would address the heart of the market, around 145 to 185 seats.
Should Boeing opt to ultimately settle in the 130- to -150 seat range, Embraer believes having four manufacturers in that segment "seems for us too many", said de Souza e Silva, referring to potentially joining Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier in that size market.
"It would be a risky project," he stated, explaining Embraer would have to develop a product more efficient than its competitors.
Embraer has long said it has no plans to make a decision on a larger commercial aircraft offering until Boeing declares its firm plans, which is expected sometime around the middle of the year.
The airframer also has no plans to develop a new aircraft and re-engine its E-Jet family in parallel, said de Souza e Silva.
He believed Embraer can wait a few years before making a re-enging decision for the E-Jets. Noting Embraer's "clients, lessors and investors" tell the aiframer the E-Jets are still state of the art aircraft, de Souza e Silva stated the E-Jets are accomplishing their mission.
Embraer is continuing to make improvements to the E-Jet family, he stated, and plans to achieve a 1-1.2% reduction in fuel burn for the aircraft, de Souza e Silva stated.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
