Aircraft nuts just love this Brazilian
Fri "The Australian"
Aircraft nuts just love this Brazilian
By Geoffrey Thomas
April 16, 2004
IT is simply the hottest selling aircraft in the world - and it was in Australia to show off its Brazilian flair to Qantas and National Jet Systems (NJS) last week.
And it's not hard to see why the Embraer (EMB)170-190 family is sweeping all before it.
The aircraft is a real hot rod.
It can fly from Perth to Sydney non-stop, faster than most larger commercial jets such as the A330, has the lowest seat mile costs in its category and can get in and out of short runways in searing heat - critical for operations in northern Australia.
Orders and options now top 600 from a host of the world's major airlines, including low cost specialist New York-based JetBlue, and the EMB 170 is the hot favourite at NJS to replace the BAe146s used for QantasLink services plus mining charters.
Embraer's major problem is delivering the jets, with production sold out through 2006, and according to insiders new un-announced orders will almost certainly close out production to 2008. Those commitments have pushed Sao Paulo-based Embraer's workforce to 12,941, and annual sales - which hit $US10.6 billion ($14.4 billion) last year - are set to soar as the manufacturer starts delivering the new EMB 170 series.
Embraer is a relative newcomer to aircraft manufacturing, as it was founded in 1969. It has grown to be Brazil's largest exporter and the world's third largest civil aircraft manufacturer after Airbus and Boeing.
The Embraer commercial products include the 30-seat EMB 120 Brasilia, 37-seat ERJ 135, 44-seat ERJ 140 and the 50-seat ERJ 145 jet airliners.
Deliveries to airlines of the first EMB 170s commenced last year. Coming in four sizes seating from 70 through to 118 passengers the jet is ideally placed for the regional market.
But rather than a cramped dark cabin typical of many regional offerings, the EMB 170 has a two-by-two cross section with large windows giving a light, airy and spacious feeling.
NJS executives have been working with Embraer to improve the hot field performance of the EMB 170 to match that of the BAe146 - critical for northern Australian conditions.
While NJS was coy about its plans, the industry understands that the Adelaide-based company has secured at least one EMB 170 for delivery later this year for a mining contract.
This lease will introduce the type to the NJS fleet and an order for between 10 and 20 aircraft is expected to follow for delivery starting around 2007-08.
NJS has leases on the BAe146 out to 2008-09.
The secret to the success of the Embraer aircraft is the "clean sheet design" philosophy, rather than a compromise of a larger existing design.
Both Airbus and Boeing have tried with limited success to downscale their respective A320 and 737 families. But that approach carries with it significant weight penalties which compromise the economics.
Embraer has designed an aircraft from scratch that brings together all the latest cockpit and engine technology which optimises the design to the 70-118 seat market.
And rather than the slower speeds typical of regional jets, the EMB 170 clips along at Mach .82.
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