Embraer delivers first E-Jet to China’s Hebei Airlines
E190 provides greater connectivity and contributes to developing local aviation industry .Beijing, China, December 2011 – Embraer delivered two EMBRAER 190 (E190) jets to China’s Hebei Airlines Co., Ltd., on December 20, in a ceremony held at the Company’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The sale of these two E190s was confirmed this month, and the purchase of another eight jets is still subject to the Chinese government approval. Based in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of China’s Hebei Province, the E190s will be deployed to support establishing a hub network within Hebei Province, while also flying from Shijiazhuang to other provincial capitals, with more routes and frequencies.
“We welcome Hebei Airlines as the latest E-Jets operator, and we are honored that the E190’s operational characteristics have attracted the attention of the leaders of the Hebei Provincial Government, which we consider to be high recognition of our products,” said Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, President of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The E190 is being well received by the marketplace, worldwide, for its outstanding economics, performance and comfort. We are confident that the E-Jets will support the market development of Hebei Airlines and play an important role in promoting local economic and aviation transport growth.”
“We are glad to take delivery of our first two E190s. The introduction of these jets during the Chinese 12th-five-year period (2011-2015) matches the company’s marketing strategy, and is one of our important initiatives in response to the State’s call to build China as a civil aviation powerhouse by improving the country’s regional aviation sector,” said Mr. Luo Zhanling, Vice Chairman of Hebei Airlines. “We will fully leverage the jets’ advantages in seat capacity and range performance to build a hub network. We hope that the two parties can work together to make our respective contributions to local civil aviation development and to promote economic and cultural exchange.”
To date, Embraer has logged 153 firm orders for commercial and executive jets from China, including 85 E190s. The Company has delivered 46 ERJ 145s, 55 E190s (counting the current two jets), and three executive jets. Embraer is the leader in China’s regional aviation market, holding a significant 76% share.
The E190 is the third of four members of Embraer’s E-Jets family. The E-Jets have achieved outstanding success, with over 1,000 firm orders and 800 jets in operation, worldwide. The 98- to 114-seat E190 allows flexible operations with a range of 4,450 kilometers (2,400 nautical miles), including low-cost services for low- and medium-volume markets. The jet is being used along with narrowbody aircraft, in accordance with time-of-the-day or seasonal passenger volume changes, to right-size fleets and to achieve significant trip cost savings.
Additionally, it is also being used to develop new routes and to substitute old, inefficient jets. Besides economic efficiency and performance flexibility, comfort is another hallmark of the E190. Its double-bubble fuselage maximizes passenger cabin space with the widest seats and aisle among aircraft in its class. The no-middle-seat configuration and optional advanced in-flight entertainment system also contribute to a superior passenger experience.
About Hebei Airlines Co., Ltd.
Hebei Airlines was inaugurated on June 29, 2010, and is the core affiliate of the Hebei Aviation Investment Group. Based in Shijiazhuang Zhengding International Airport (SJW), the carrier focuses mainly on carrying passengers, cargo and mail, and partially on general aviation and other services associated with air transportation.
The company strictly follows the strategy of “getting started with regional aviation, integrating regional with mainline, getting support from the government, and being complemented by ground operations”, and adheres to its commitment of being “safe and efficient, credibility-focused, customer-oriented and excellence-pursuing”. In its earlier stage, the company has focused on regional flights within Hebei Province and neighboring cities that can be reached by air in 1-2 hours. It has established four networks, namely an intra-provincial hub, regional net, Beijing sub-hub, and the “Bohai-rim express”.
Along with its business growth, Hebei is progressing towards an integrated airline specialized in both mainline and regional business, serving urban and rural regions by increasing mainline flights, exploiting international routes and improving its network development. Its fleet is expected to expand to 20 aircraft by the end of China’s “12th Five-Year Plan” (2015), carrying more than 3 million passengers per year.
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