After announcing an accumulated loss of $ 1.8 billion, Embraer revealed on Wednesday that the E175-E2 jet development program will be postponed for two years. Previously scheduled for 2021, the smallest aircraft in the E2 family will only debut in 2023.
According to airframer, the E175-E2 will be available “at a more appropriate time” in view of the current market conditions for new aircraft, which has slowed down due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Because of this change in the schedule, Embraer stated that it will be able to “better distribute the investment in the program over the next three years”.
According to the company’s CFO, Antonio Garcia, in a press conference call, Embraer had many requests postponed until 2022 onwards. Even so, Embraer is optimistic about the resumption of passenger air traffic, which has been stronger on routes where aircraft of up to 150 seats are used – and the segment where it leads the market.
Although it delivered only nine commercial airplanes in the first half of 2020, the Brazilian company has the reintegration of the commercial division, which had been separated for the joint venture with Boeing, to resume sales and deliveries.
Empty order book
The delay in putting the E175-E2 into service was expected due to the lack of customers so far. An improved variant of the best-selling E175, the new jet is larger and more efficient, but currently occupies a niche in the market where there is apparently no demand.
As it cannot be used by US regional companies because it does not meet the scope clauses, the E175-E2 depends on orders from other regions of the globe. In this case, however, the aircraft also faces its bigger “brother”, the E190-E2, more capable.
Currently, Embraer has a test aircraft carrying out certification flights since the end of 2019.
