By Staff Correspondent
Embraer, the Brazilian aerospace conglomerate, is set to expand its aftermarket service provisions following a series of agreements initiated at the Paris Air Show. These announcements signal a strategic pivot for the company, which reported its service and support operations as the primary source of income in Q1 2023, registering a 20% YoY increase to reach $326m. In contrast, its commercial aviation sector reported revenues of $199m
The new E190 and E195 regional jet freighter conversion programmes will be critical in driving Embraer’s continued growth. On June 21, the company inked a letter of agreement with Lanzhou Aviation, marking the latter as the Chinese debut customer for these converted freighters. The preliminary contract encompasses the purchase of 20 E190F and E195F aircraft.
Arjan Meijer, CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, acknowledged the potential of the Chinese market in their decision to launch the Passenger to Freighter (P2F) initiative. He cited the upsurge in demand for cargo aircraft spurred by China’s rapidly expanding e-commerce sector and corresponding evolution in logistics.
Embraer currently boasts a fleet of 85 E-Jets in China, operated by Tianjin Airlines, Hebei Airlines, Beibu Gulf Airlines and Colorful Guizhou Airlines. Additionally, the company has a well-established after-sales service and support network in the country, featuring authorised maintenance centres, spare parts warehouses, and a comprehensive pilot training system.
The company is also investing in digital innovation, unveiling the next generation of its AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis) system designed for predictive maintenance. This new iteration brings 12 new reliability trends for early degradation detection on the E2, machine-learning-powered predictive capabilities, and troubleshooting enhancements for flight controls.
Star Air, an Indian carrier and existing AHEAD user, has recently opted into Embraer’s pool programme for its E175s, extending a similar support agreement for its ERJ145s.
