Story ID: 
Covid Takes Toll on Embraer Q2 Shipments
By: Kerry Lynch
Caption: Embraer delivered 13 executive jets in the second quarter of 2020, down from 25 in the same period a year ago.
Word Count: 265
Embraer's executive jet deliveries dropped by nearly half to 13 shipments in the second quarter while its commercial aircraft shipments fell precipitously to just four units, the Brazilian manufacturer reported Monday morning. The company cited the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic for the diminished results, which have been largely expected throughout the industry as manufacturers have struggled to ship aircraft across borders and meet with prospective clients to finalize sales.

In the second quarter, Embraer delivered nine light jets (two Phenom 100s and seven Phenom 300s) and four large jets (one Legacy 650, one Praetor 500, and two Praetor 600s). The quarter marked the first delivery of the OEM's enhanced Phenom 300E—that aircraft went to the Texas law firm Dunham & Jones.

The shipments, however, were down from the 25 executive jets (19 light jets and six large jets) shipped in the second quarter of 2019. Through the first half of this year, executive jet shipments were down by 14 units—Embraer delivered 22 executive jets in the first six months (14 light jets and eight large jets), compared with 36 (27 light and nine large jets) in the first half of last year.

The effects of Covid-19, along with the transitions involved with the now-defunct Boeing merger, took a heavier toll on the commercial side of the business, with four aircraft shipped in the second quarter, compared with 26 in the same period a year earlier. Nine commercial aircraft were delivered in the first half of 2020 compared with 37 in that time a year ago.

Backlog, meanwhile, slid to $15.4 billion, compared with $16.9 billion a year ago.