Leeham News and Analysis
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Embraer ponders mainline jet–but this must compete internally with other projects
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By Scott Hamilton
Embraer Group CEO Francisco Gomes Neto. Credit: Embraer.
Nov. 6, 2025, © Leeham News: When it comes to new airplane development, Airbus and Boeing get all the headlines.
The world’s third-largest airplane manufacturer, Embraer, gets overlooked. Compared with the Big Two, Embraer is small potatoes—and the market for which it is best known, its E-Jet, is primarily associated with regional airlines flown by major carriers, not the big airlines.
Given the duopoly of Airbus and Boeing, their delivery delays, the latter’s groundings, production, safety and quality concerns, many urged Embraer to move up to the mainline jet sector. Competing with Airbus and Boeing would be daunting enough. There is also China’s emerging COMAC to consider. COMAC may be struggling today for geopolitical and industrial reasons, but commercial airplane programs are 40-50-year endeavors. Few doubt that COMAC will become a force in the future.
Embraer acknowledges it is considering developing an airplane with 180-240 seats, presumed to be a single-aisle aircraft. However, this is far from the only possibility of a new program. In addition to the risks and rewards of taking on the Big Two and COMAC, here’s what else Embraer is up to. Studies are also underway for:
- A larger business jet;
- A smaller commercial jet;
- Continued research and development of its Energia environmental aircraft initiative; and
- The final stretch for bringing the EVE eVTOL to market.
There’s only so much money to go around. Development of a mainline jet must compete internally for a piece of this pie.
Embraer developed more than 20 new aircraft designs since 2000, a record unmatched by other manufacturers. Credit: Embraer.
Embraer has designed, developed, and produced more than 20 aircraft since 2000. Most of them required commercial certification.
Embraer’s largest aircraft are the E195-E2 and the KC-390 tanker-transport. Dimensionally, these are about the same size as the Boeing 737-8 and Airbus A320neo.
Embraer posts record 3Q25 revenues, maintains full-year outlook despite softening profit
By Tom Batchelor
Nov. 04, 2025, © Leeham News:
Embraer reported record third-quarter revenues and reaffirmed its full-year 2025 financial and delivery guidance on Tuesday, even as profits softened compared with the previous quarter.
The Brazilian aerospace manufacturer said its 3Q25 results remained strong across its commercial, executive, and defense segments, underscoring continued momentum despite well-documented challenges, in the form of tariffs and supply chain delays.
The company reported revenues of $2 billion in 3Q25, an 18% year-on-year increase and the highest third-quarter figure in its history.
The performance was fuelled by a 31% jump in Commercial Aviation revenues and a 27% rise in Defense & Security, reflecting stronger deliveries.
Executive Aviation also remained a major contributor to overall performance, building on a surge in first-half shipments.
Embraer focuses on production, supply chain efficiency, cost reduction
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By Scott Hamilton
Nov. 3, 2025, © Leeham News: Like Airbus, Boeing, and the engine manufacturers, Embraer is devoting millions of dollars to making its production more efficient and less costly. It’s also working with its supply chain to achieve similar results and fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Francisco Gomes Neto, CEO of Embraer Group. Credit: Embraer.
Group CEO Francisco Gomes Neto broadly outlined Embraer’s approach during its annual investors day in New York City.
Like Airbus and Boeing, Embraer has been affected (though not to the same degree) with some delivery delays. Some are due to engine issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF powering the E2 jets. Supply chain interruptions are also a factor. Traveled work is another.
“Production leveling will allow us to better distribute the production and the deliveries throughout the year,” Gomes Neto said. He said there have been “impressive results” in reducing traveled work and increasing production capacity.
Another initiative, which he calls “very important,” is reducing the production lead time of our aircraft. “Despite the challenge we still have in the supply chain, we have been able to achieve impressive results, promising results,” Gomes Neto said.
Credit: Embraer.
Gomes Neto said that Embraer now produces the Praetor business jet 40% faster than it did four years ago. The KC-390 is produced 33% faster, and the E-Jets are 27% faster.
He added that the company is undertaking initiatives to increase production, boost productivity, and further reduce wait times.
Consultant Presses Embraer To Confirm Large Bizjet Plans
Oct. 21, 2025, © Leeham News: From our partners at AIN:
Embraer Executive Jets leader said company will take its time before taking its next step
October 16, 2025
Embraer this week reaffirmed that it is actively studying the case for entering the large-cabin business jet market. Speaking at its investors day event at the New York Stock Exchange, a leading consultant urged Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Michael Amalfitano to confirm whether his group will step up to compete with Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Dassault, and he didn’t rule out the move.
Embraer hasn’t produce the large cabin Lineage 1000 business aircraft for almost five years, but it is now contemplating a return to the heavy jet segment. Credit: AIN.
Dean Roberts, v-p for strategy, sustainability, and development with Rolland Vincent Associates, argued that the time is right for the Brazilian manufacturer to expand its portfolio beyond its Phenom and Praetor family of light and midsize jets. In his view, its U.S., Canadian, and French rivals aren’t fully addressing the market.
The case for Embraer to invest in the development of a business jet at the top end of the sector has to compete with the aerospace and defense group’s ongoing ambitions to directly challenge Airbus and Boeing in the race to dominate the next generation narrowbody airliner market.
The full story may be found here.
How’s the next new aircraft produced? Part 7. Other OEMs.
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By the Leeham News Team
Sept. 25, 2025, © Leeham News: In Part 1 of this series, we described the production system for Embraer. Should Embraer or any other OEM enter the race for the next aircraft in the single aisle segment, it will pose the same challenges as for Boeing and Airbus.
Embraer has recovered from the collapse of the Boeing-EMB joint venture, and the E195-E2 is selling well. But the regional jet market is limited. Embraer is considering whether to move up to the mainline jet sector. Credit: Embraer.
The aircraft must integrate new types of engines, and large parts must be made with the new types of composites that enable high-rate production.
Embraer E2 Finally Breaks Into The U.S. Market Following 50 Firm Orders +50 Purchase Rights from ULCC Avelo Airlines
By Chris Sloan
Sept. 10, 2025, © Leeham News: Embraer announced today that Embraer’s E2 will finally break into the U.S. market with a firm order from ULCC Avelo for 50 E2-E195s and 50 purchase rights, becoming E2’s 22nd customer. The E2 will enter service with Avelo in mid-2027, with deliveries rolling until 2032. The list-price value of the order is US$4.4 billion, excluding purchase rights.The E2 will be the current 737 NG operator’s first new equipment in the fleet.
The aircraft will pioneer the E2 E2TS (Enhanced Takeoff System) with an increased range benefit with up to 400 additional nmi of range for runways under 5,000 feet, such as Key West, Florida, where Avelo begins service in November. This is an essential factor in new markets, though he didn’t disclose specific routes. “It will get into airports that no one else can,” he adds.
Avelo CEO Andrew Levy said the smaller E2 will be a potent weapon to establish service in new markets that are too large for the 737-700s and 800s. The E2 will enable the airline to expand its existing operations and enter new markets. The company has been looking at the aircraft for two years, which marks the first new aircraft in the airline’s four-year history. “This aircraft will open up opportunities for us that no other aircraft can do. It fits our strategy perfectly,” said Levy.
How’s the next new aircraft produced? Part 1. The starting point.
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By the Leeham News Team
Sept. 4, 2025, © Leeham News: The coming decade is likely to see announcements of new airplanes from Airbus and Boeing. If Embraer decides to move up into the mainline sector, a new airplane from the Brazilian manufacturer should also be announced in the next few years.
This means the clock is ticking toward program launches anywhere between 2027 and 2030, depending on progress from GE Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce in developing new engines.
New airplane concept: The Boeing New Midmarket Airplane, c. 2019. Credit: Leeham News.
For the airframe manufacturers, there are important steps before a new program can be launched. One is how the aircraft shall be developed. We wrote about it in our series “What’s the Next New Aircraft?”. But equally important is, how shall the next new aircraft be produced? It’s what this seven part series is about.
Since June, LNA has published a series of articles about new airplanes, new technologies, new design and new production processes that must be sorted before any of the OEMs move forward. Across the seven parts of this series, we identify flaws and challenges at both Airbus and Boeing, with lessons to be learned as both airframers reshape their approach for future manufacturing.
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- Pratt & Whitney Canada develops Open Fan engine
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We call this series “How’s the next new aircraft produced?”. We start by going through where the major OEMs are with their legacy production.
Eve Raising $230 Million To Support eVTOL Aircraft Development
From LNA’s partner at AIN:
By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor
EVE Advanced Air Mobility urban taxi created by an affiliate of Embraer. Credit: EVE.
Eve Air Mobility plans to raise $230 million in equity capital through a share offering that is set to close on Friday. The government-backed Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), along with Embraer and several institutional investors, subscribed to the offering of 47,422,680 shares in common stock, priced at $4.85 per share.
The offering includes new Brazilian Depository Receipts backed by BNDES that will be listed on the São Paulo stock exchange. Eve will use the proceeds from these to cover the cost of services performed in Brazil, where it is manufacturing the four-passenger eVTOL Eve 100 it is developing for service entry in 2027.
The full story may be read on AIN here.
Embraer reports record Q2 revenue and backlog; reaffirms 2025 outlook
By Tom Batchelor
Aug 5, 2025, © Leeham News: Embraer’s revenue and order backlog hit a record high in 2Q 2025, with the Brazilian manufacturer reaffirming its full-year guidance after a strong performance across its business.
The E2 family has improved fuel efficiency. Credit: Embraer
Revenues totaled $1.82 billion in Q2, a 22% increase year-on-year and the highest second-quarter revenue in the company’s history.
The standout driver was Executive Aviation, with segment revenues soaring 64% compared to Q2 2024.
Defense & Security, Services & Support and Commercial Aviation also performed well with increases in revenues of 18%, 13% and 4% yoy.
The company delivered 61 aircraft during the quarter, up 30% from 47 in the same period last year.
This included 19 commercial jets (10 E2s and 9 E1s), 38 executive jets (21 light and 17 medium), and 4 defense aircraft.
CEO Francisco Gomes Neto described the period as the “strongest second quarter in [Embraer’s] history.”
Embraer E2: Where will the orders come from?
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By Karl Sinclair
July 10, 2025, © Leeham News: At a subdued Paris Air Show, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced a firm order from US regional carrier SkyWest Airlines for 60 E175-E1 commercial aircraft, with purchase rights adding 50 planes to the order.
Embraer won a big order from SkyWest Airlines during the Paris Air Show. The E175-E1 is the mainstay of the carrier’s fleet. Credit: Embraer.
This brings the total SkyWest backlog to 74 aircraft, for a total backlog of 220 E1 jets for the variant; 211 of those aircraft are for American carriers.
While the recent SkyWest order is undoubtedly welcome news, the problem is that the rest of the commercial aircraft division is selling and producing the follow-on variant, the Embraer E2 line.
The smallest variant of the E2 family, the E-175 E2, was placed on hold by the company until 2027-2028. This was due to the inability of American carriers to utilize the aircraft in service, resulting from the Scope Clauses with the various pilots’ unions. SkyWest once had a conditional order for 100 E175-E2s. The condition was that the unions would alter the Scope Clause restriction on the aircraft’s weight. The E2 exceeds the allowed weight by a few thousand pounds. The E1 complies.
Scope caps the maximum takeoff weight of an aircraft at 86,000 lbs, or 76 seats. The heavier and more fuel-efficient Pratt & Whitney geared-turbofan engines powering the type put the variant out of reach of US operators.
The commercial aviation industry is undergoing a transformation.
Carriers are opting for larger variants in a segment, as evidenced by the shift in orders at Airbus, away from the A320 to the larger A321 variant, and at Embraer, where the E170 is no longer in production. The dominant aircraft is the largest E195-E2, which accounts for 81% of all orders, compared to 9% previously.