The U.S. fractional aircraft ownership company, Executive AirShare, of Kansas City, has signed a purchase agreement with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer for seven Phenom 100 jets and options to acquire seven additional aircraft of the same model.
The total value of the agreement, at list price, is US$ 19.95 million, based on January 2005 economic conditions, and can double if all options are exercised. This order was already included in Embraer's backlog.
"Embraer is very pleased with Executive AirShare's choice of the Phenom 100 and is happy to offer the right-sized solution for the company's business, as it expands its fleet," said Luis Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets.
"The Phenom 100's stylish design offers the comfort that passengers expect and will serve Executive AirShare and its owners very nicely. We look forward to a mutually successful relationship."
Delivery of the first jet is scheduled for mid-2010. The Phenom 100 Very Light Jet (VLJ) will help Executive AirShare with the strong demand for the company's concept of fractional aircraft ownership, which now includes customers in the states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Executive AirShare's fractional owners have access to their aircraft for a given number of days per year, rather than a strict number of flight-hours per year. Furthermore, customers have the use of the aircraft for an entire day, unlike national ownership planes that fly multiple customers to different locations on the same day with the same aircraft.
"The Phenom 100 is the largest and most capable of all of the VLJ offerings and we look forward to adding this aircraft to our fleet," said Robert D. Taylor, CEO of Executive AirShare. "Our owners will appreciate the speed, range, cabin layout, comfort, and luggage-carrying capabilities of the Phenom 100."
Founded in 2001, Executive AirShare currently operates a fleet of 12 aircraft. The company is based at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, in Kansas City, Missouri., and also operates out of Mid-Continent Airport, in Wichita, Kansas, Richard L. Jones, Jr. (Riverside) Airport, in Tulsa, Oklahoma., and Fort Worth Meacham Airport, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Family Grows
Embraer just announced that it has launched the new Advanced Range (AR) versions of the Embraer 170 and the Embraer 175 aircraft of its four-model E-Jets family.
These new versions are designed to meet current and potential customer requirements for increased range and operating flexibility. Northwest Airlines is the launch customer for the Embraer 175 AR.
Their first ten aircraft will be the Long Range (LR) version and, later, will be retrofitted to the AR version. The remaining 26 jets of the airline's firm order will incorporate the AR structural provisions from the assembly line.
"We are very proud to be the launch customer of the Embraer 175 AR version and to offer this benefit to Northwest travelers," said Dan McDonald, Northwest's Vice President of Finance and Fleet Planning.
"The Embraer 175 aircraft provides a comfortable and efficient flight experience. The AR version will allow us to reach additional markets, thus improving operational flexibility and revenue potential."
"We at Embraer are constantly analyzing our customers' needs and requirements, and the new AR versions of the Embraer 170 and Embraer 175 are the result of those analyses," said Mauro Kern, Embraer's Executive Vice President, Airline Market. "Airlines that need extra range to increase their flexibility in terms of flight offerings and market coverage find these aircraft to be attractive solutions for their mainline needs."
The AR versions incorporate structural reinforcements that allow the aircraft to be operated at takeoff, landing and zero fuel weights above the current maximum values. This means an average additional range of 300 nautical miles (556 km) and a payload increase of more than 1,543 lb (700 kg), depending on the aircraft model, airline's specific operating conditions and configuration.
The new versions are expected to be certified by December 2008. Embraer will offer retrofit kits to interested existing operators.
