Plane Maker Falls Back to the Good ‘Ole E-175

After years of teasing and tentative promises, Embraer has pulled the plug on its next-generation turboprop program. This ditches the plan for a clean-slate design, instead drawing the manufacturer back to the trusty E175 platform.

“The turboprop project or initiative has been cancelled by us,” said CEO Francisco Gomes Neto during the company’s third-quarter 2025 earnings call. “We don’t have, at this point in time, any project or initiative in that direction anymore. It might change in the future, but at this point, the project has been cancelled.”

That one statement puts an end to one of the most talked-about development efforts in regional aviation. First teased in 2020, the turboprop aimed to seat 70 to 90 passengers and use engines mounted on the rear fuselage. This atypical layout is meant to reduce cabin noise and boost aerodynamic efficiency. Embraer marketed it as a 21st-century replacement for aging ATRs and Dash 8s.

But without launch customers or financial backing, the project couldn’t gain too much traction. Embraer never secured a firm partner or government support for the project, leaving its focus to drift toward its electric and hybrid propulsion ventures.

Instead, the Brazilian manufacturer is leaning on its proven jets. The E175-E2 remains paused, or officially “on hold”, until the US regional airline scope clause changes. This labor agreement caps the size and weight of aircraft that regional operators can fly on behalf of major carriers. The E175-E2’s heavier frame places it just over the limit, forcing Embraer to keep churning out the earlier and much more popular E175-E1.

Despite the cancellations and delays, Embraer’s 2025 financials have been impressive. The company’s order backlog sits at roughly $31 billion, and executives hinted at secretive future products. Gomes Neto deflected a question about developing a single-aisle airliner to challenge Airbus and Boeing, only revealing that new programs could come from “executive aviation, commercial, or defence.”

FMI: www.embraer.com