Comes Amid "Urgent" Need For Small Airliners

Embraer recently earned final approval from Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) for the 37 to 50-seat ERJ 145 regional jet family, comprised of the 37-seat ERJ 135, the 44-seat ERJ 140, and the 50-seat ERJ 145.

These regional jets are now have the way open to operate in all of the CIS, which besides Russia, includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

In its most recent Market Outlook, Embraer foresees strong opportunities in the Russian airline market, because of the need to replace an ageing fleet of Eastern European-built commercial aircraft. The average age of the Russian fleet is 23 years. Slightly more than 50% of these models are over 20 years old, the planemaker says, and there is an urgent need to replace the smaller capacity aircraft.

"The certification of the proven ERJ 145 family in Russia is a tremendous achievement for Embraer and a great opportunity for us to serve an important market, which needs a sizeable replacement of aircraft," said Antonio Campello, Embraer Vice President, Programs - Airline Market. "The ERJ 145 family is perfectly suited for this environment, with a tried and tested platform, unmatched economics, and more than 1,000 units flying throughout the world."

Embraer foresees that 510 jets, from 30 to 120 seats, will be required in the next 20 years in the Russia/CIS -- 23% to support air transportation growth and 77% to replace older aircraft. This specific jet fleet will increase by 24%, from 485 units in 2007 to 602 by 2027, representing an important market opportunity.

FMI: www.embraer.com