SAO PAULO, BRAZIL — Embraer anticipates production rebound and strong E2 sales in Chinese market.
After shipping a mere 57 commercial aircraft in 2022, Embraer has projected an uptick in production, forecasting a return to pre-pandemic rates of approximately 100 jets annually by 2026.
Embraer's Chief Financial Officer, Antonio Carlos Garcia, has estimated that commercial jet deliveries for the current year will number between 65 and 70 units, seven of which were dispatched during the first quarter. In a notable development, Garcia mentioned that this year's total will incorporate a mere 26 E-Jet E1s, marking the first time more units of the new E2 model will be delivered.
"By 2026, we could return to a production rate of about 100 aircraft per year," Commercial Aircraft Chief Executive Arjan Meijer stated at Embraer’s pre-Paris air show media event in Lisbon, Portugal on May 26. Achieving this target will require a surge in sales demand, reduced supply chain issues, and an alleviation of the current US pilot shortage, he further explained.
Embraer’s yearly output is already showing signs of a rebound, having escalated from 48 commercial jets in 2021 and 44 in the year prior. The company dispatched 89 E-Jets in the pre-pandemic year of 2019 and 90 in 2018, last hitting triple digits – 101 aircraft – in 2017.
Expressing confidence in the Chinese market, Meijer asserted the E2 model's robust sales potential. In 2022, Embraer earned certification for its E190-E2 from the Civil Aviation Authority of China, with aims for E195-E2 approval by the latter half of the year.
Asserting that Embraer's products could "perfectly co-exist and complement Chinese products," Meijer referred to Comac's ARJ21 and C919.
Moreover, Meijer projected a new wave of E175-E1 sales to US carriers to replace current fleets, given the absence of any near-term changes to existing scope clause restrictions. He announced active campaigns in the US and hinted at some upcoming developments.
Meijer also shared the operational performance of the E2 family, amidst challenges such as the supply and support of Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PW1900G engines. Despite some teething problems, Meijer reported that the E2 fleet is performing admirably. As of late-May, only 12 of the delivered units were grounded due to engine and other issues.
Being the third platform to utilize P&W’s geared turbofan-family powerplants – after the A320neo and A220 – the E2 has been less impacted. Meijer disclosed that the PW1900G engines are being delivered with Block C combustor enhancements, and a solution for accelerated lining wear has already been put in place. By the fourth quarter of 2025, Embraer anticipates a final configuration to be operational.
While the engine situation is a topic of discussion with customers, Meijer notes, the improvements will be incorporated into the engines that customers will receive in the coming years, resulting in even more advanced technology.
