Embraer released its results in 2019 in addition to the order list updated on Wednesday. The numbers continue to worsen, however, the last quarter showed a slight recovery in deliveries and orders for the new E2 family.
According to the company, 98 commercial jets were delivered last year, one less than in 2018. However, 35 aircraft were delivered in the 4th quarter, more than doubling the volume of the previous quarter. The highlight was the new aircraft of the E2 family, which had 10 units sent to its customers.
The first generation E175 continues to be Embraer’s main product, repeating the same number of planes delivered in 2018 – a total of 67 units. The manufacturer also completed deliveries of the E195-E1, reaching 172 completed aircraft. Four E190-E1 units remain to be delivered, in addition to 181 of the E175-E1.
Reduced backlog
Regarding the orders, Embraer presented a lower number than the previous year. In 2019, the airframer ended the year with 338 aircraft to be delivered, 30 less than in 2018 and almost 100 below 2017. In this case, it directly influenced the withdrawal of Skywest’s order for 100 E175-E2, which had to suspend the business as long as the scope clause in the U.S. does not allow its purchase.
On the other hand, the backlog of only the E2 jets increased. There are now 171 aircraft to be delivered against 158 in 2018. The customer list has had some important changes such as the model change in the order of the Chinese leasing company ICBC, from E190-E2 to E195-E2 to suply KLM.
Another leasing company, AirCastle, appears with fewer firm orders for the E190-E2: there were 12 and now there are only five. African airline Air Peace, however, doubled its order for the E195-E2, from 10 to 20 aircraft, causing the backlog of the largest model in the family to climb to 144 units. Last year, the company already expanded its order to 13 aircraft and 17 options.
Embraer also increased the number of purchase options, from 365 to 416 aircraft, most of them from the E175. The Brazilian company ended 2019 with 1,579 E-Jet family jets delivered since the beginning of the program, including 18 E2 planes.
As of 2020, the company’s commercial division began to be segregated from the rest of the business, already in preparation for the start of the joint venture with Boeing.
