Embraer was founded in 1969 by the Brazilian government as a national champion for domestic aerospace technology. It initially focused primarily on supplying military aircraft to the Brazilian Air Force, but by the 1980s began producing a series of successful commuter and regional airliners for export. The company was privatized in 1994 and began expanding to the production of larger regional airliners and smaller business jets; it became public in 2000.
Embraer is organized into four segments: Commercial Aviation, which manages the development, production, sale, and lease of commercial jets, as well as the provision of aviation support services; Defense & Security, which consists of research, development, production, modification, and support for military defense aircraft, and related products and services; Executive Aviation, which concerns the development, production, and sale of executive jets, and support services; and Other, which entails the production of structural parts, mechanical and hydraulic systems, agricultural crop-spraying aircraft, and customer training.[8]
The Brazilian government contributed to Embraer's early growth by providing production contracts.[13] The company sold solely to the domestic market until 1975.
In 1974, the company started to produce Piper light airplanes under license.[17] Piper first put together knock-down kits in their US factory for Embraer to assemble and market in Brazil and Latin America.[citation needed] By 1978, most of the parts and components were being sourced locally.[17] Between 1974 and 2000, nearly 2,500 license-built Pipers were produced by Embraer.[17]
By 1980, Aerotec's main business was producing components for Embraer. However, around this time, the Brazilian Air Force became interested in an upgraded version of the Uirapuru. A prototype, designated Uirapuru II, was built; but, by the time it flew, the Air Force no longer required it. A small number were built for export. In 1987, the firm was sold to Embraer.
Privatization
Born from a Brazilian government plan and having been state-run,[9] Embraer eventually started a privatisation process in 1992 alongside other state-run companies, such as Telebrás and Vale. Privatisation was a key policy of the economically liberal government of Fernando Collor, elected in the 1989 presidential election.[18]
Embraer was sold to private investors on December 7, 1994,[11][19] which helped it avoid a looming bankruptcy.[9] The Brazilian government retained interest through possession of golden shares, which allow it veto power.[16] Embraer continued to win government contracts throughout the 2000s and 2010s.[citation needed]
Product line expansion: military, regional and executive
In the mid-1990s, the company pursued a product line focused on small commercial airplanes over the military aircraft that had previously made up the majority of its manufacturing.[9] It soon expanded to the production of larger regional airliners in the 70–110 seat range, and smaller business jets.[16]
By May 2019, Embraer was considering developing a new family of turboprop regional airliners in the 50–70 seat range, complementing the E-Jet E2, so as to free engineering resources.[21][22] It would compete against older ATR and Dash 8 designs for 1.5 to 2 h flights over 500–700 nmi (930–1,300 km).[23] In August 2021, Embraer released a new configuration with quieter aft-mounted engines for a 70-90 seat aircraft, with the E-Jet cross-section, aiming for a 2022 launch and a 2027/2028 service entry.[24]
Executive jets
At the 2000 Farnborough Airshow, Embraer launched the Legacy 600, a business jet variant of the Embraer Regional Jet. In 2002, a dedicated subsidiary, Embraer Executive Jets, was created, as the Legacy was introduced into service. In 2005, the Phenom 100 was first envisioned as an air taxi similar to the Eclipse 500, competing with Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft. It was introduced in 2008 and is the basis of the larger Phenom 300. The midsize Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 were jointly developed as clean sheet designs, while the Lineage 1000 is a VIP version of the E190. In 2016, Embraer delivered its 1,000th executive jet and had a market share of 17% by volume, though it lacked an ultra-long-range large cabin jet.[25] In October 2018 Embraer announced two new business jets—the Praetor 500 in the midsize cabin category—and the Praetor 600 in the super midsize category.[26]
Military transport
On April 19, 2007, Embraer announced it was considering the production of a twin-jet military transport. Work began in May 2009 with funding from the Brazilian Air Force.[27]Correios, the Brazilian postal service, has shown interest in buying this aircraft.[28][29] Using much of the technology developed for the Embraer 190, the C-390 would carry up to 23 tons of cargo[30] and aims to replace Cold War-era cargo aircraft.[31]
While firm orders for the yet-to-be-produced KC-390 transport had not yet been made in the fall of 2010,[27] Argentina asked for six examples and several other South American nations also expressed interest.[32][33]
Brazil and Canada engaged in an international, adjudicated trade dispute over government subsidies to domestic plane-makers in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The World Trade Organization determined that both countries had provided illegal subsidies to what were supposed to be privately owned industries. Brazil ran an illegal subsidy program, Proex, benefiting its national aviation industry from at least 1999–2000, and Canada illegally subsidized its indigenous regional airliner industry, comprising Bombardier Aerospace.[citation needed]
On July 5, 2018, a joint venture with Boeing was announced that would have resulted in Boeing owning 80% of Embraer's commercial aviation division.[34] This was seen as a reaction to Airbus' acquisition of a majority in the competing Bombardier CSeries the previous year.[35] Under the 2018 plan, Embraer would retain its executive business jet and its defence business.[36] The resulting division would be known as Boeing Brasil – Commercial, though it was unclear whether the aircraft would be rebranded as Boeing models.[37]
On November 18, 2019, Boeing and Embraer announced another joint venture, at 49% and 51% respectively, to promote and develop new markets for the C-390 Millennium tactical transport aircraft; the resulting entity would be called Boeing Embraer – Defense and would begin operating after regulatory approvals and closing conditions.[38]
In April 2020, Boeing canceled its acquisition of Embraer's commercial operations after being heavily affected financially by the air crisis initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic and by the 737 MAX groundings.[39][40][41]
In November 2020, Embraer announced that its loss for the third quarter of the year is $121 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the travel restrictions.[42]
STOUT light military transport aircraft
In December 2019, Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force tackled the development of a light military transport aircraft.[43] The Short Take Off Utility Transport (STOUT) would replace its 64 EMB-110 Bandeirante (average age of 38.3 years) and 19 EMB-120 Brasilia (average age of 26.5 years) with similar dimensions.[43]
Recent developments
In August 2023, President and CEO of Embraer Services & Support Johann Bordais was announced to take over as CEO of Eve Air Mobility.[44]
OGMA – Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal (Alverca do Ribatejo, Portugal) – aircraft component maintenance, repair and manufacturing, plus aircraft maintenance services.
Embraer Aero Seating Technologies – Inaugurated in September 2016 in the city of Titusville, Florida, Embraer Aero Seating Technologies produces aircraft seats.[48]
Mesa Unit (Located in Mesa, Arizona, U.S.) – Implemented in 2008, performs maintenance, repair and overhaul services on the Phenom and Legacy executive aircraft line.[49]
Windsor Locks Unit (Located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, U.S.) – Implemented in 2008, as well as the Mesa Unit, also performs maintenance, repair and revision services in Embraer's executive line.
Melbourne Unit (Located in Melbourne, Florida, U.S.) – Implemented in 2011, it is the first unit in the United States to carry out the final assembly of aircraft. It produces the line of executives Phenom 100 and Phenom 300. In November 2012 work began on an Engineering and Technology Center at the Melbourne facility.
ECC Leasing – Embraer's in-house leasing division, based in Dublin, Ireland, managing and re-marketing the Embraer aircraft portfolio owned directly by the manufacturer.[50]
Embraer's commercial airliner portfolio, as well as the KC-390, would be part of two separate joint ventures with Boeing. In the case of the civil aircraft line, Boeing would own 80% of the resulting firm.[54] (canceled)
Aircraft models
Commercial
By December 2018, Embraer claimed to lead the sub 150 seat jetliner market with 100 operators of the ERJ and E-Jet families.[55]
^Eckhouse, John (January 12, 1991), "Brazil on Road Peddling State-Owned Enterprises", The San Francisco Chronicle (final ed.), San Francisco, CA, US, p. B.1.
^Facilities, Embraer, September 11, 2012, archived from the original on 2010-12-15, Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. 276 SW 34th Street Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 USA […] Embraer Aircraft Holding, Inc. 1700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Suite 200 USA Washington, DC 20008
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