Jet Maker Celebrates Its 40th Anniversary
Embraer celebrated a four-decade history Wednesday, and over the
years, the company has designed more than 20 different aircraft
models for the commercial and executive aviation markets and the
defense segment.
Since the IPD 6504 project of what is now known as the Aerospace
Technology and Sciences Directorate, from which the pioneering
Bandeirante originated, to the recent and aggressive project for
developing the KC-390 cargo and refueling plane, in a partnership
with the Brazilian Air Force Embraer has delivered some 5,000
airplanes to 88 countries on five continents. The Company is now
recognized, worldwide, for the excellent design of its products,
the flexibility of its production chain, and the top quality of the
services it provides.
Embraer Bandeirante
Created on August 19, 1969, by Decree-Law number 770, Embraer
– Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. was a mixed
capital company under government control. The purpose was to found
a company capable of transforming science and technology, developed
by the CA and by the Aeronautics Technological Institute (Instituto
Tecnológico de Aeronáutica – ITA) into
engineering and industrial capacity.
“Embraer is the fruit of an ambitious long-term project of
the Brazilian Government, envisioned by Air Marshall Casimiro
Montenegro in the 1940s and continued by thousands of people who
have worked and put forth every effort for us to arrive at this
day,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President &
CEO.
The beginning of Embraer’s activities was marked by the
production of the Bandeirante (EMB 110) turboprop, the Ipanema (EMB
200) crop duster aircraft, and the high-performance Urupema
(EMB 400) glider, as well as the advanced training and ground
attack Xavante (EMB 326) jet, under license from Italy’s
Aermacchi.
Embraer Ipanema
The decade of the 1970s saw the first deliveries and the
development of new products, like the Xingu (EMB 121) executive
aircraft, the Tucano (EMB 312) military trainer, and the 30-seat
Brasilia (EMB 120) turboprop, besides the AMX jet program, in
cooperation with Italy’s Aeritalia (now, Alenia) and
Aermacchi, which allowed the Company to quickly attain a new
technological and industrial level.
Embraer Super Tuscano
During the prolonged financial crisis at the beginning of the
‘90s, Embraer considerably reduced its number of employees,
slowed down the development of the ERJ 145 regional jet, and
cancelled the CBA 123 Vector project.
The Company was privatized on December 7, 1994.
Embraer Legacy 600
In 2001, Embraer delivered the first super midsize Legacy 600
executive jet. Confirming the Company’s commitment to become
a major player in the segment, over the following years, Embraer
launched the entry level Phenom 100, the light Phenom 300, the
midlight Legacy 450, the midsize Legacy 500, and the ultra-large
Lineage 1000 jets, forming a complete and modern aircraft
portfolio. In the defense segment, the Super Tucano advanced
trainer and light attack turboprop, in operation in the Brazilian
and Colombian Air Forces, was also ordered by Chile, Ecuador and
the Dominican Republic, climbing to 169 planes sold, and
Embraer’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)
aircraft went into operation in Brazil, Mexico, and Greece.