STEPHEN TRIMBLE
A highly-stylised roll-out of the Embraer 190 on 9 February officially launched the Brazillian regional jet maker on its first venture beyond the 70-seat jet market.
The 98-seat 190 fuselage is designed to be 6.3m (20.8ft) longer than the 70-seat Embraer 170, features General Electric CF34-10E engines and larger wings, main landing gear and horizontal stabiliser. Highlights shared by both aircraft include fly-by-wire flight controls, advanced avionics, two-abreast seating and a larger passenger cabin.
The 190 roll-out signals the start of a significant experiment in regional jet manufacturing. The combined 170/190 family targets a market gap for 70- to 100-seat planes and challenges US pilots' unions on scope clause restrictions.
Embraer has reported 110 orders for the Embraer 190, including 10 by an undisclosed customer and 100 by JetBlue Airways, which also has options to buy 100 more in a deal potentially valued at $6 billion. In December, Air Canada signed an order for 45 190s and 45 options, as well as 30 Bombardier CRJ700s and 15 CRJ200s. Canada's WestJet is also understood to be considering the 190.
More significantly, perhaps, Southwest Airlines admits it has been mulling the idea of mixing its hallmark Boeing 737 fleet with the 190.
Star Alliance partner Lufthansa is waiting until at least June to decide on a possible 190 order, which may perhaps be followed by decisions from SAS Scandinavian Airlines and Austrian Airlines.
Regional jet rival Bombardier, meanwhile, expects to wait up to a year before making a decision that could launch its own 110-120 seat passenger jet.
David Neeleman, JetBlue chief executive and 190 launch customer, says the 190 design adds 1,000 viable city-pairs to the New York-based airline's portfolio. The low-cost carrier sees opportunities for mixing the 190 and an existing A320 fleet, particularly for seasonal destinations such as the Caribbean.
JetBlue expects to take delivery of the 190 starting in late 2005. Seven aircraft are expected to be delivered before 2006, followed by a delivery rate of about 18 per year until the end of 2011. At that point, JetBlue will evaluate whether to exercise the options to buy 100 more.
Embraer disclosed plans to devote at least four aircraft - three pre-series and one production aircraft - to the 18-month flight test schedule. A first flight of the Embraer 190 is expected to take place in early March.
Source: Flight Daily News
