Brazilian major aerospace group Embraer has announced that it delivered 141 commercial and business (or executive) jets last year. Of these, 55 were delivered during the fourth quarter. The company ended the year with a firm order backlog worth $17-billion, which was the highest value recorded since the second quarter of 2018.

Commercial jet (airliner) deliveries during 2021 totalled 48, of which 16 were delivered during the fourth quarter. Total business jet deliveries during the year were 93, of which 39 were delivered in the year’s final quarter. Business jets delivered in 2021 were divided into 62 in the light category and 31 in the mid-size category; during the fourth quarter, deliveries were split between 26 light and 13 mid-size.

Also in the fourth quarter of last year, the group recorded firm orders for six of its E175 airliners and 20 of its new generation E2 airliners (whether E-190E2 or E-195E2 models, or a mixture of both, was still to be determined). Three of the E175s are in 88-seat configuration for Nigerian operator Overland Airways (a deal worth $299.4-million), with deliveries starting next year. The other three are in 76-seat configuration for US carrier American Airlines, to be operated by its subsidiary Envoy Air (a deal worth $160.2-million); this order will take Envoy Air’s fleet of E175s to more than 100 by the end of this year.

The E2s were ordered by US lessor Azorra Aviation. Its order for 20 took total firm orders for the E2 family to 50 for the year, with no cancellations. According to Embraer, this established the E2 family’s “leadership position in its market segment”. Azorra also took 30 options for E2s, and the deal has a total value of $3.9-billion.

The fourth quarter also saw Embraer secure a more than $1.2-billion deal with NetJets for up to 100 further Phenom 300 light business jets. The first of these aircraft, Phenom 300E models, will be delivered during the second quarter of next year.

In addition, Embraer signed several services and support contracts during the fourth quarter. These were under the Embraer Pool Programme and the new deals that were announced were with Air Montenegro and KLM Cityhopper (a subsidiary of KLM), while the contract with TAP Express (a subsidiary of TAP Air Portugal) was renewed. More than 50 airlines around the world are currently supported under the Pool Programme.

In the defence sector, the fourth quarter saw Embraer and the Brazilian Army jointly unveil the SABER M200 Vigilante radar. This has been jointly developed by the two organisations, both to support the Brazilian Army’s air defence units and to increase Embraer’s product portfolio, including for exports.