Embraer took the wraps off its ideas for new medium-light and mid-size business jets today at the NBAA show in Atlanta. It was careful to make clear this was not a launch - they are just concepts. But if you want to sign a letter of interest and put down a $90,000 refundable deposit you can get in line for the MSJ. Or if funds are a little tight, $70,000 will reserve you a smaller MLJ. But you won't get a price, performance specs or delivery date just yet. Embraer is still working on those.
You will get a promise of a delivery position if and when Embraer does produce the aircraft. And it will, but the specifics of the designs could change a little as a result of feedback from customers, who are getting their first look at the mockup and the basic specs. And they look promising, adhering to Embraer's established "buy one, get one size up" philosophy.
Just as it has sized the Phenom 100 directly against the Citation CJ1 and the Phenom 300 against the CJ4 - but for up to $2 million less in each case - so the MLJ would compete with the Citation XLS, and the MSJ with the Citation Sovereign, but at lower prices. What makes you think Embraer has Cessna firmly in its sights?
