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.

FMI: www.embraer.com