EBACE – Embraer

Phenom Order Book Rises in U.S., M.E., Europe
The hot business aviation market continues to contribute to increasing sales of Embraer’s Phenom worldwide. The company booked orders from customers in the U.S., M.E. which includes an air taxi company, and Europe for the Phenom as well as its Legacy and newly launched MSJ and MLJ models which the company has dubbed the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500, respectively, despite the fact they are clean-sheet designs and not a follow on to the Legacy 600 which is based on the ERJ 145, 50-seat regional jet. The company is capitalizing on its jet family concept, so successful for its commercial aircraft. The two new aircraft will complement the Legacy 600 already in operation. The company already has 100 letters of interest. The two new programs were launched in April. Embraer has booked 750 orders for the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 worldwide.

U.S.
Embraer U.S. Phenom Production for N.A. Market, Executive AirShare Doubles Order
Embraer’s decision to produce the Phenoms in the U.S. is part of an effort to be closer and more responsive to U.S. customers. Its new facility in Melbourne, Fla will be the first of its kind for the Brazilian company and is designed to meet the rising demands of the U.S. business aviation market. Related Story
It will produce only the North American-bound aircraft and become an adjunct to Embraer’s current production facility in Brazil. Embraer has yet to figure the increased costs this brings to the twin, very light jet and light jet programs, but said its goal is to limit the impact to offset the equivalent cost a customer would have to incur if they took delivery in Brazil. The company also said that it has no plans to produce any other of its executive or commercial aircraft at the U.S. facility.

Executive AirShare, of Kansas City, Mo., doubled its order for Phenom 300 aircraft to four firm orders and four options. In September 2007, the U.S. fractional aircraft ownership company announced two firm orders of the Phenom 300 aircraft, plus two options for additional aircraft of the same model. The company also holds 10 firm orders and 10 options for Phenom 100 aircraft.
“Demand for fractional ownership of business aircraft continues to grow in the markets we serve and we are expanding our order for Phenom 300 aircraft to keep pace with the needs of our owners,” said Executive AirShare President and Chief Operating Officer Keith D. Plumb. “The range, speed, comfort, and luggage-carrying capabilities of the Phenom 300 are an ideal match for our owners’ mission requirements and we look forward to adding both the Phenom 300 and Phenom 100 to our fleet.”
Executive AirShare’s concept offers fractional owners access to their aircraft for a given number of days per year, rather than a strict number of flight-hours per year, affording them use for an entire day, unlike ownership planes that fly multiple customers to different locations on the same day with the same aircraft. The company will begin taking delivery of its Phenom aircraft in 2010.
Founded in 2001, Executive AirShare, based at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport, in Kansas City, Mo currently operates a fleet of 15 aircraft. The company also operates out of Wichita, Kan., Tulsa, Okla., and Fort Worth, Texas.

Middle East
Embraer has bolstered its executive jet order book in the Middle East with the signing of orders for two Legacy 600 jets, one Phenom 300, and one Phenom 100. The deals also includes a letter of intent for two Legacy 500 and one Legacy 450 jets, Embraer MSJ and Embraer MLJ aircraft.
“The Middle East market has been responding incredibly well to our Executive Jets line,” said Colin Steven, vice president, marketing and sales – Europe, Africa, and Middle East, Executive Jets.
ASAIG Aviation, a new Kuwaiti-owned charter operator, and a member of the Al-Shalfan International Group, ordered one Phenom 100 and one Phenom 300. The company also signed a letter of intent for one Legacy 450 and two Legacy 500 jets. The first Phenom 100 is scheduled for delivery in 2012. Both Phenom jets will be used for air taxi operations between Dubai, where they will be based, and the Gulf Coast Countries (GCC). ASAIG plans to use one Legacy 450 and one Legacy 500 for on-demand charter operations, while the other Legacy 500 will be dedicated to the private use of Al-Shalfan International Group owners.
ASAIG Aviation was established by the Al-Shalfan International Group in August 2007, with a paid-up capital of $5 million to provide low-cost air taxi and on-demand charter operations within the Gulf Coast Countries (GCC). The company will launch its operations at Dubai’s new Al-Maktoum International Airport, in Jebel Ali Dubai World Central development, with a confirmed fleet of 11 aircraft in the first quarter of 2010.
“Our new subsidiary, ASAIG Aviation, will focus on operating efficient light and very light jets within the GCC region, providing flying to our corporate and leisure clients,” said Mr. Abdulla Al-Shalfan, executive director of the Al-Shalfan International Group, which is a privately owned holding company managing assets in real estate, direct investments, telecom, aviation, and industrial projects. “Our decision to partner with Embraer was taken after a detailed analysis of different aircraft available in the market, taking into consideration the right mix of range, low operating cost, and reliability, while offering a comfortable and spacious cabin. Operating the new Phenom jets in the region will revolutionize the air taxi market, and will bring a new level of service to the GCC.”
S.S Lootah Group, of Dubai, has signed for one Legacy 600, which will be delivered in 2009. The aircraft will be based in Dubai and used extensively for company corporate travel.
Sheikh Ahmed Al Hamad, chair of the Burgan Company, in Kuwait, has ordered a Legacy 600 for delivery in 2008. The aircraft will be managed by Titan Aviation, in Dubai.
Established in Dubai in 1956, the S.S. Lootah Group is a family-owned diversified business house with ventures across key industries, from construction, real estate, energy, food, and hospitality, to financial services, applied research, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), education, and healthcare, among others, along with a remarkable portfolio of non-profit educational Institutions.

Europe
Consultancy, Academy Take Phenoms
The Finnish Aviation Academy, which trains pilots for Finnair, and VLJ Consultancy, a proposed air taxi operator in the U.K. have added three Phenom 100s to Embraer’s order book with deliveries to start in 2010.
Finnish Aviation Academy ordered two Phenom 100 very light jets for use in flight training and to replace a fleet of elderly turboprops. First delivery is delivery is scheduled for 2010.
“We are exceptionally pleased to welcome the Finnish Aviation Academy – the first flight training school in the world to have access to the Phenom 100 – to our growing Phenom 100 customer base,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, executive vice president, Executive Jets. “Destined for careers with airlines in Finland, these students will get a terrific start to commercial flying with the large-format glass-cockpit flight displays and integrated system aboard the Phenom jets.”
Students will use the Garmin all-glass, fully integrated Prodigy Flight Deck avionics suite, close to commercial jets. Prodigy features two Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and one Multi-Function Display (MFD). The system integrates all primary flight, navigation, communication, terrain, traffic, weather, engine instrumentation, and crew-alert system data, and presents the composite information in brilliant, sunlight-readable color on three high definition active matrix liquid crystal displays.
“We are excited to be able to offer training in a brand new aircraft that incorporates all the latest technology available to pilots today,” said Esa Lohikivi, maintenance director for the Finnish Aviation Academy. “We expect the Phenom 100 to be a terrific recruiting tool and a good teaching aid for students as they transition from pistons and turboprops to flying jets."
The Finnish Aviation Academy, located in the city of Pori, Finland and jointly owned by Finnair, Finland and Pori, is a vocational, special-purpose school founded to train professional pilots for the Finnish professional aviation needs. It meets both the European and Finnish aviation regulations for pilot training and also offers its service to other operators.
VLJ Consultancy Limited ordered one Phenom 100 on behalf of private investors and opted an additional two jets with deliveries set to begin in 2012. The Phenom 100 will be operated by VLJ Consultancy in a private charter and air taxi role out of Oxford Airport, in the U.K..
“Investors will be offered a private jet service at an individual level of quality of service and affordability that will make personalized air travel available to a much wider clientele than has hitherto been the case,” said VLJ Consultancy Limited Managing Director David Fletcher, managing director. “The vision is centered on the Phenom 100, undeniably the premium entry-level very light jet in the market today. The quality of the product will be aligned with that which is more normally seen at the top end of the private jet charter market, whilst at the same time being affordable for air taxi services. Indeed, it is our philosophy that the Phenom 100 will increase affordability without any loss of quality.”
“We are very honored to participate in the start-up of the air taxi operations of VLJ Consultancy,” said Colin Steven, vice president, marketing and sales – Europe, Africa, and Middle East, executive Jets.