Embraer Hits Jackpot with $1.4B Flexjet Order

Fractional provider Flexjet revealed a $1.4 billion firm order on Monday morning at NBAA-BACE for 64 Embraer Phenom 300Es and Praetor 500/600s, making it the fleet launch customer for the latter. Praetor 500 deliveries to Flexjet will start next month. Under the deal, the Cleveland, Ohio-based operator will also convert its Legacy 450 fleet into Praetor 500s under an FAA-approved modification.

Delivery of the Praetors will mark the fourth time that Flexjet has introduced new Embraer aircraft to the fractional market. Previous introductions were the Legacy 600 in 2003, Phenom 300 in 2010, and Legacy 450 in 2016. Its current Embraer contingent includes Phenom 300s and Legacy 450s.

“The Legacy 450 is the mainstay of Flexjet’s midsize fleet,” Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Michael Amalfitano told AIN. “It sells out shares in these twinjets every year.

“The Praetors are the most technologically advanced and most disruptive aircraft, created to dominate the midsize and super-midsize business jet market,” added Amalfitano. “And we couldn’t be more delighted that Flexjet, our partner for more than a decade, is making the most modern aircraft available to its owners.”

In anticipation of this order, “Flexjet has been aggressive in recruiting pilots this year and recently met its 2019 goal of hiring 175 new pilots,” the fractional provider said.