Embraer Maintains Plan For Regional Jet Updates

Despite moves by Mitsubishi to delay its regional jet, schedule slippage in the Chinese Comac ARJ21 program and crash-induced questions about the Sukhoi Superjet 100, Embraer is not relaxing its plans to update the E-170/190 regional jet family for 2018, with CEO Frederico Fleury Curado noting that the proposed launch date “looks like the right time.” Curado insists the schedule is not driven by potential competitive pressures, but by access to field fuel-saving engine technology. The engine decision is likely to be made toward year-end or in 2013, although he concedes that issues affecting Embraer’s rivals do “ease the pressure” on making that announcement ...