British Airways signed a contract for 11 Embraer E-Jets including six ERJ 170s and five ERJ 190SRs as part of a fleet modernization program for CityFlyer, its wholly owned regional airline subsidiary. Meanwhile, Embraer reached a milestone by delivering its 500th E-Jet, an ERJ 170, to France’s Regional - Compagnie Aérienne Européenne.
CityFlyer operates domestic and international routes from London City Airport. The deal, valued at $376.5 million, also includes options for another three ERJ 190SRs which would bring the value to $489 million, if all options are confirmed.
The ERJ 170 obtained steep-approach certification to operate at London City Airport in June 2007. This approach uses a software solution developed within the existing fly-by-wire system, which means improved flight quality and control and reduced pilot workload, with less weight and maintenance cost. The ERJ 190SR is currently undergoing a series of engineering evaluation tests with a view to receiving its steep approach certification by the end of 2009. The first BA CityFlyer ERJ 170, configured with 76 seats, is scheduled for delivery in the the second half of 2009.
In order to support its new Embraer fleet during the next 10 years, British Airways also signed the Embraer Pool Flight Hour Program, which provides optimized inventory control at reduced initial investments for parts and infrastructure.
The handover ceremony for the Regional's ERJ 170 was at São José dos Campos, Brazil, merely six months after the 400th E-Jet was delivered, in June 2008. Regional, a wholly owned Air France subsidiary, accepted its first ERJ 170, just three months earlier, in September 2008.
Regional’s ERJ 170 is configured with 76 seats, in a single-class layout. The French airline is Embraer’s largest customer in Europe, and currently has 50 Embraer aircraft (six ERJ 190s, two EJR170s, 28 ERJ 145s, nine ERJ 135s, and five EMB 120 Brasilias) in its fleet.
On September 30, 2008, Embraer had logged 865 firm orders and 813 options for the E-Jets family. With 500 aircraft delivered to date, the family has a broad base of 52 operators in 35 countries, on five continents. The planes that have already been delivered have accumulated more that 2.2 million flight hours with outstanding schedule reliability, and have transported more than 100 million passengers.