Embraer has just sold eight executive jets to Falcon Aviation Services, an operator based in Abu Dhabi. Another eight jets have been ordered by Falcon Aviation Services also from Abu Dhabi, in the Middle East. Virgin Nigeria, in Sub-Saharan Africa bought another 10 E-Jets from the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer. Spain's Globalia signed for 11 more jets. And NAS Air, of Saudi Arabia, has acquired five Embraer 190 E-Jets.
Falcon Aviation Services (FAS) of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), ordered eight Embraer Executive Jets: four Phenom 300s, three Legacy 600s and one Lineage 1000 aircraft. The total value of the deal, at list price, is US$ 145.78 million. This order is already included in Embraer 's backlog.
"We are very delighted to receive this order from an experienced and renowned operator like Falcon Aviation Services," said Luis Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets.
"FAS customers will appreciate the luxurious interior and premium comfort offered by several cabin zones in the Legacy 600 and Lineage 1000, as well as the Phenom 300, which has the largest cabin and baggage compartment in the light jet category."
The deal was announced at the 2007 Dubai Air Show, November 11-15. FAS will receive its first Legacy 600 in the second quarter of 2008. The Lineage 1000 delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2010, and the first Phenom 300 will be available in the second quarter of 2011.
"The Embraer Executive Jets allow us to cover all segments with aircraft that offer spacious cabins and comfort," said HH. Dr. Sheikh Sultan, owner and CEO of Falcon Aviation Services. "In addition, Embraer 's experience in developing jets with high availability gives FAS the right tool to continue its aggressive growth strategy."
Al Jaber
Embraer has signed Al Jaber Aviation of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the sale of five Lineage 1000 and two Legacy 600 executive jets. The company also placed options on another two Lineage 1000s and one Legacy 600. The total value of the agreement, at list price, is US$ 265.57 million, and can reach US$ 376.88 million, if all options are exercised.
"We are especially honored by the confidence Al Jaber Aviation has placed in us by choosing our jets to expand its fleet. This is the largest single order for Embraer Executive Jets in the Middle East and a strong indication that our products are meeting customer expectations in this region," said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets.
The announcement of the deal was made at the 2007 Dubai Air Show, November 11-15. Al Jaber Aviation will receive its first Legacy 600 in February 2009 and the Lineage 1000 deliveries are scheduled to begin in May 2010. The airplanes will be used for on-demand charter service.
"We have been carefully assessing which would be the best airplanes to support our development," said Mohammed Obaid Al Jaber, Al Jaber Aviation CEO. "The main criteria we had were the comfort provided to our customers and the jets' overall performance. After several months of evaluation, the Lineage 1000 and the Legacy 600 are clearly the best choice."
Virgin Nigeria
The Brazilian aircraft maker has signed the growing Virgin Nigeria airlines for eight Embraer 170 and two Embraer 190 aircraft, all Advanced Range (AR) versions. The deal includes options for another six Embraer 190 and purchase rights for eight Embraer 190 or Embraer 195 jets.
The value of the firm order, at list price, is US$ 301 million, based on January 2007 economic conditions, and could come to US$ 800 million, if all six Embraer 190 options and purchase rights for eight Embraer 195 are confirmed.
"Virgin Nigeria's choice of the Embraer 170 and the Embraer 190 is a strategic breakthrough in this promising Sub-Saharan African market," said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market.
"We are extremely pleased by Virgin Nigeria's decision to select Embraer aircraft and are sure that our E-Jets will provide the airline with the right tools for increased success. Our aircraft will help take Virgin Nigeria to new heights with its unparalleled combination of right capacity, sound performance, outstanding passenger comfort, and low operating costs."
First delivery to Virgin Nigeria is scheduled for September 2008, and the airline intends to deploy the Embraer 170 on its growing domestic network, rightsizing some of the routes currently operated by older narrowbody jets and replacing turboprops on its strategic petroleum routes, such as Lagos-Port Harcourt, due to the outstanding airfield performance of the aircraft.
The Embraer 190 will be deployed in its regional and international markets. With their advanced range capabilities, common type rating, and training and parts commonality, both aircraft will bring more flexibility to the entire network.
"These new E-Jets from Embraer will greatly enhance our ability to serve the corporate market, enabling us to offer our passengers superior standards and to match seat capacity and frequency to passenger demand network-wide," said Conrad Clifford, CEO of Virgin Nigeria. "We believe the Embraer E-Jets will give us the edge over the competition, as well as provide us with a family of aircraft with versatile capabilities."
Virgin Nigeria's E-Jets will be configured with a dual-class cabin. The first class will be equipped with seven superior 20"-wide (51 centimeters) seats for the Embraer 170 and 12 for the Embraer 190, all fitted with computer power outlets.
The economy class will have 60 comfortable 18.3"-wide (46 centimeters) Elite seats for the Embraer 170 and 84 for the Embraer 190. All seats will be equipped with a state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment (IFE) system supplied by Thales providing audio and video on demand.
Spain's Globalia
With Spain's Globalia Group Embraer has signed a contract for 11 executive jets. The new order, includes eight Phenom 100s, two Phenom 300s, and one Legacy 600. The total value of the agreement, at list price, is US$ 62.31 million.
"Spain is a very interesting market with new business models coming out, which may eventually transform the way we see executive aviation," said Luis Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets.
"We are especially happy to have been selected by Pepe Jets and look forward to seeing the Phenom 100, Phenom 300 and Legacy 600 aircraft supporting Globalia's newest venture success."
The aircraft will be operated by Pepe Jets, Globalia's newest subsidiary, one of the largest tourism groups in Spain. Globalia also owns Air Europa, Spain's second largest airline. Pepe Jets will receive its Legacy 600 in April 2008. The Phenom 100 deliveries are scheduled to begin in October 2010, and the first Phenom 300 will be available in April 2011. The aircraft are for charter and on-demand operations.
"The new airline we are launching is a response to the growing call for on-demand charter flights from businessmen and entrepreneurs who want both flexibility and comfort," said Juan Jose Hidalgo, Globalia Executive President.
"What we've been looking for during the evaluation process for our fleet are aircraft offering the reliability of an airliner, as well as the comfort of a real business jet. And this is exactly what we have selected with the Phenoms and the Legacy 600."
Saudi Arabia's NAS Air
NAS Air, of Saudi Arabia, has acquired five Embraer 190 E-Jets, with options for another five. The contract also includes purchase rights for 12 more aircraft of the same model.
The total value of the deal, at list price, is US$ 172.5 million, based on January 2007 economic conditions, and could reach US$ 759 million if all options and purchase rights are confirmed.
NAS Air has also signed a separate agreement with GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) to operate another five E-Jets – three Embraer 190s and two Embraer 195s – under a leasing contract.
"The NAS Air business model uniquely combines a low fare airline operation with a high standard of ground and in-flight passenger services," said Mauro Kern, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market.
"We are very proud to supply NAS Air with the ideal aircraft for such a critical combination. I'm sure they will find the E-Jets' flexibility, low operating costs and outstanding passenger comfort a truly winning blend."
Both aircraft will be configured in a comfortable single-class layout – the Embraer 190 with 114 seats, and the Embraer 195 with 118. The E-Jets will be based at King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh.
"We have a very aggressive development plan and we need the right aircraft to achieve it," said Ed Winter, CEO of NAS Air Aviation. "The Embraer E-Jets family has a proven operational background in the Middle East. This, combined with the versatility of these aircraft, which are in operation with other budget and mainline airlines, as well as regional carriers, convinced us that the Embraer 190 and the Embraer 195 are the perfect aircraft for our operations."
NAS Air will receive its first E-Jet in February 2008 through the GECAS leasing contract. The company intends to deploy the aircraft in its growing domestic and regional markets. Created in February 2007 as Saudi Arabia's first budget airline, NAS Air has quickly expanded to become the second largest airline in the country.
The company now serves 21 cities in the country with a fleet of seven aircraft. The Embraer E-Jets will be used to increase the number of weekly flights from 70 to 358.
