Aircraft

Embraer plans to raise production of the Embraer 190/195 to as much as eight a month by mid-2007 to cope with rising demand. Mauro Kern, airline market programmes vice-president, says: “We are ramping up to four per month of the larger aircraft and will be going up to five or six per month later in 2006, and seven to eight [a month] by mid-2007. It’s an aggressive ramp-up.”

The rate boost decision comes on the heels of a spate of new orders for the larger E-190/195 models since January. The backlog, which previously stood at 322 (106 E-170s, eight E-175s, 179 E-190s and 29 E-195s) has since surged with the US Airways-Embraer agreement to convert 25 undelivered E-170s on firm order to E-190s, as well as convert the remainder to the larger models. The restructured agreement also adds 50 more options.

Other new business includes five firmly ordered and 20 optioned E-190s from Colombian carrier Aero Republic. The orderbook was also bolstered in March by a Royal Jordanian order for seven E-195s. Kern says the acceleration of the E-190/195 is planned so that it “does not compromise our ability to produce the E-170”. Flight tests of the E-195 are close to completion, says Embraer.

GUY NORRIS / SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS