Story ID: 414EmbExecJet10YearsNBAA15
Embraer Executive Jets Celebrates 10 Years
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: When the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer established the executive jets division, its goal was to “be a major player” in the business jet OEM market.
Word Count: 966
Embraer Executive Jets is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week at NBAA 2015. Though parent Embraer launched the Legacy–a business jet derivative of the ERJ-135 airliner since renamed the Legacy 600–in 2000 at the Farnborough International airshow, the company didn’t officially form an executive jet business unit until May 2005.

Luís Carlos Affonso was initially tapped to head the Melbourne, Fla.-based division, supported by vice president of executive aviation marketing and sales for North America Ernest Edwards and vice president of market intelligence Marco Túlio Pellegrini, among others. Edwards later took the helm of the unit from Affonso in 2011, with Pellegrini succeeding him early last year when Edwards retired.

The Phenom 100 and 300 light jets were also launched simultaneously with the Embraer Executive Jets division. Since then Embraer Executive Jets has launched five more new models: the large-cabin Lineage 1000 (2006), midsize Legacy 450 and 500 (2008), super-midsize Legacy 650 (2009) and Phenom 100E (2014).

All of these aircraft, in addition to the original Phenom light jets, have since entered service, starting with the Phenom 100 in late 2008. The Legacy 450 is the most recent to join this group, after obtaining Brazil ANAC, FAA and EASA certifications in the third quarter of this year.

When the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer established the executive jets division, its goal was to “be a major player” in the business jet OEM market. Edwards soon quantified that goal, telling AIN in April 2006 that Embraer Executive Jets sought 15 percent of the business jet market by volume within a decade.

Today it has exceeded that goal, with the Embraer division garnering 18 percent of the business jet market by volume. Taking a more micro look, the company commanded 57 percent of the light jet market by shipments last year and appears set to do the same this year. Going even deeper, the Phenom 300 was the most delivered business jet in the world over the past two years and is on pace for a repeat this year, according to Embraer.

To date, Embraer Executive Jets has handed over about 650 light jets to customers since the Phenom 100 and 300 entered service in December 2008 and 2009, respectively. In fact, Embraer Executive Jets delivered the 300th Phenom 300 last month to an undisclosed U.S. customer, just one year after achieving the same milestone for the smaller Phenom 100/100E.

The commemorative Phenom 300 was assembled at and delivered from Embraer’s assembly facility in Melbourne, which has been in operation since 2011. In June last year, the company delivered the 500th Phenom–also a Model 300–and plans to hand over the 150th U.S.-assembled Phenom by year-end.

“The 300th delivery confirms the outstanding worldwide reception the Phenom 300 has received and is an eloquent testament to the aircraft, which has redefined the light jet segment,” Pellegrini said. “Embraer’s drive for customer satisfaction and the cutting-edge design and performance of its products continues to draw new operators and enhance customer loyalty.”

This push to redefine business jet categories and bring the latest technology to its new aircraft is what could make the midsize Legacys–which have best-in-class cabin sizes, fly-by-wire controls, Rockwell Collins Fusion avionics and optional head-up display, among other features–even better sellers than the Phenoms. “The 450 and 500 are creating a market that didn’t exist before,” Pellegrini told AIN. “We’re very optimistic about the market for these two twinjets, which have very flexible cabin layouts.” Deliveries are now starting to ramp up for these two new jets.

The company’s Legacy 600/650 has also sold well, with about 250 of the super-midsize jets in service around the world. However, its $53 million, large-cabin Legacy 1000/1000E has had only modest success, with some 25 delivered since 2009.

Overall, Pellegrini said he is happy with Embraer’s market share. To date, the company has delivered more than 900 business jets to about 580 operators in some 60 countries. “We’ve accomplished so much in so little time,” he added. “I’m very proud of what Embraer Executive Jets has done.”

Exceptional Support

But just gaining market share wasn’t the company’s only goal and almost could be considered secondary. “We want to provide the best customer experience,” Pellegrini said. “More important is serving the customer, matching exceptional products with exceptional product support.”

To keep a fleet quickly approaching 1,000 aircraft flying, Embraer Executive Jets built a network of 65 authorized service centers–26 in the U.S.–and six company-owned facilities, half of them in the U.S. Notably, its Paris Le Bourget service center is moving into a new building that will be easier for customers to access and double the size of the existing facility. This new building will open in the second half of next year.

In addition, the company has spare parts hubs in Brazil and the U.S., four regional parts distribution centers (Brussels, China, Singapore and Dubai) and six parts storage locations around the world. It also maintains a cadre of 42 field representatives around the world and mobile service centers at the company-owned centers in the U.S. and Paris.

Marking the fifth anniversary of its customer support contact center, Embraer Executive Jets recently opened a new contact center to improve integration of support personnel technical teams and to offer more comprehensive around-the-clock support.

The company’s Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis (AHEAD) system has been expanded to cover the latest models: the Legacy 450 and 500. Meanwhile, Embraer’s customer support and services guide mobile app, first released for iOS devices, is now available on Android devices and allows operators to open a case with the contact center.

Because of its investment in product support, Embraer Executive Jets tied for second place in the 2015 AIN Product Support Survey.