Embraer Executive Jets this week announced the delivery of its 2000th business jet, 23 years after the Brazilian manufacturer branched into the corporate aviation sector.
The milestone aircraft was a Praetor 500 long-range jet shipped to an undisclosed customer from the company's facility in Melbourne. Florida.
“Delivering our 2000th business jet is more than just a milestone number," said Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets.
"It is a powerful reflection of the strength of our product portfolio, our unwavering commitment to our customers and the dedication of our employees who take pride in building every aircraft.
"This milestone cements Embraer’s position as a global leader in business aviation and serves as a testament to the popularity of our Praetor family of jets, especially among major corporate flight departments.
"Both the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 have become aircraft of choice for their disruptive technology and unmatched performance, demonstrating the confidence these corporations place in Embraer.”
Embraer Executive Jets began with the Legacy 600, a business version of their Embraer Regional Jet in 2002. Three years later, the first twin-engine Phenom 100 flew in competition to Textron and Hawker Beechcraft. Embraer resisted the temptation to go down the single-engine very light jet (VLJ) path, with the Phenom 100 and 300 proving popular whilst new entrants stumbled in development.
The mid-size and super mid-size Praetor 500 and 600 joined the product line-up in 2018.
Embraer comfortably leads the twin-engine, single-pilot jet market against Textron's Citation M2 and Pilatus' PC-24.