Embraer celebrated the delivery of the 1,600th E-Jet, an E190-E2 model to the Swiss airline Helvetic Airways. It is quite a milestone for the Brazilian manufacturer, which started delivering the E-Jet family in 2004, or just 16 years ago.
However, the planemaker goes through a moment of strategic review after the failure of the partnership with Boeing, which was not even made official. The stressful process led Embraer to consume resources in the separation of the commercial division while moving the business jet assembly line to another plant.
Attention to the joint venture has also hurt business. With the expectation of Boeing’s entry, many customers would have postponed orders pending more advantageous proposals. Something that was reflected in the few agreements closed by the new E2 aircraft. As of March, only 171 firm orders have been confirmed.
This situation is visible by the number of E2 units delivered so far. There were only 23 planes, eight E195-E2 and 15 E190-E2 as delivered to Helvetic.
More efficient than expected
Embraer did not detail the data that led Helvetic’s jet to be the 1,600th delivered. According to information from the first quarter, the manufacturer had delivered 191 E170, 637 E175, 564 E190, 172 E195, all of the first generation, and 20 E2, reaching a total of 1,564 aircraft. It suggests that the company delivered another 15 planes in the second quarter.
Despite the delicate moment, the E-Jet family continues to be a phenomenon in the commercial aviation market. Although the manufacturer was known for its turboprops and especially for the ERJ jets, the acceptance of the new series went far beyond expectations. Counting the two generations, there are more than 1,900 planes ordered in 16 years.
Apparently, if it depends on E2’s customers, those numbers are expected to grow. Helvetic, for example, is very satisfied with the E190-E2, especially with its performance: “The fuel burn is even lower than expected, which makes the airplane even more environmentally friendly,” said Tobias Pogorevc, the airline’s CEO.
