Embraer Executive Aircraft LLC

Embraer stands on the proud shoulders of Brazilian aviation pioneers whose work dates back to the early 18th Century and the dawn of powered flight. The father of Brazilian aviation, Alberto Santos-Dumont, is heralded as the first person to make a controlled flight in an engine-powered air vehicle, the Hydrogen Dirigible No. 1, in 1898. He later won the 1901 Deutsch de la Meurthe prize for piloting a dirigible around the Eiffel Tower for half an hour. In 1906, three years after the Wright brothers successfully flew in the United States, Santos-Dumont made his first public flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft known as the 14-bis, in Champs de Bagatelle, on the outskirts of Paris.

Following in Santos-Dumont’s footsteps, many other great aviation trailblazers and entrepreneurs led to the creation and success of Embraer including Air Force General Casimiro Montenegro Filho, who, in the mid-1940s, conceived and founded the Aeronautical Technical Center (Centro Técnico de Aeronáutica - CTA), today known as Department of Science and Aerospace Technology (Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial – DCTA), the national research center for aviation and space flight, and the Aeronautical Institute of Technology (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica - ITA), inspired on Massachusetts Institute of  Technology (MIT), in Boston. His vision ushered in the development of Brazil’s modern aeronautics industry.

Among Embraer’s pioneers is Ozires Silva, a former major in the Brazilian Air Force, who founded Embraer in 1969 and led it as CEO until 1986 and again from 1991 to 1994. His successor, Mauricio Botelho, a dynamic entrepreneur, led the company after its privatization taking it public on both the São Paulo and New York Stock Exchanges in 2000. In 2007, he was succeeded by Frederico Fleury Curado, who, as CEO, has overseen one of the most successful and prosperous periods in the company’s history.

Embraer’s aviation roots are strong and deep. A leading force in aerospace technology and innovation, Embraer has delivered more than 5,000 executive, commercial and defense aircraft in its 40+ years which are now operating in over 90 countries.

Learn more about the history of Embraer S.A. by visiting Embraer Historical Center

about Embraer’s line of world-class, award-winning executive jets

Embraer's entrance into executive aviation

Following the success in commercial aviation, Embraer began exploring the executive aviation market in 2000.  In that year, we introduced the Legacy, built on the same platform of Embraer’s ERJ 135 regional jet.  This aircraft took the fuselage of this 37- passenger regional airliner, developed a purpose-built executive interior, including inflight access to the largest baggage compartment of any business jet at the time and increased its range to meet the needs of the super-midsize market segment.

The Legacy’s success and the increasing demand for executive aircraft in virtually all market segments, led Embraer to fully commit to executive aviation in 2005 with the formation of Embraer Executive Jets and the launch of two clean-sheet designs, the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300.

Since this time, Embraer has developed a full line of business aircraft ranging from the entry-level Phenom 100 executive jet to ultra-large cabin Lineage 1000 business aircraft.  In parallel with designing an impressive range of aircraft, we have also created a global network of owned and authorized service centers, parts distribution centers and expanded production of our executive jet aircraft components and final assemblies outside of Brazil.

Today, just over a decade after entering the executive aviation market, nearly 800 Embraer Executive Jets are operating in over 50 countries and among business aircraft manufacturers, Embraer Executive Jets offers the broadest executive jets portfolio.

Award winning business aircraft

Embraer Executive Jets has been recognized by numerous world authorities for innovation and design.

Robb Report magazine, the definitive authority for sophisticate, affluent consumers which showcases the most prestigious luxury brands around the globe, named Embraer’s Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 as best in the entry-level and light business aircraft categories, respectively, in its Best of the Best 2012 report. The magazine cited the Phenom 100 for its capabilities and cost savings, noting they have made it the world’s most-delivered business aircraft in recent years. Robb Report also confirmed the Phenom 300’s game-changing status.

Embraer Executive Jets adds the latest Robb Report accolades to a number of awards it has achieved for design and engineering.

The Embraer Phenom 100 was cited by the Financing Agency for Studies and Projects (Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos - FINEP) which gave the company its FINEP 2007 Award for Technological Innovation. The award is designed to encourage entrepreneurial projects throughout Brazil and is one of the most prestigious awards in the country.

In 2010, only its 10th year in the executive aviation market, Embraer Executive Jets began garnering numerous business aviation industry awards.

Flightglobal cited the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 executive jets, now in development, for its Innovation of the Year achievement award for the development of the electronic fly-by-wire flight commands.

Embraer also received the IDEA/Brazil 2010 design award, the Brazilian version of the IDEA/USA award – one of the most prestigious design awards in the world – for the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500, the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 and the Lineage 1000.

When Embraer Executive Jets delivered 145 executive jets in 2010, this fast growing business unit of Embraer was designated the company that grew the most in the business aviation industry, with one in every five executive jets delivered made by the company, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). That means Embraer Executive Jets earned a 20% market share in less than 10 years in the business.

In 2011, Embraer Executive Jets won Flying Magazine’s Editor’s Choice Award for the Phenom 300, which the magazine cited as a true game changer in business aviation.

The Lineage 1000 was awarded “Best of the Best Star Performer for 2011” by the Hurun Report, given to the product with outstanding performance and fast growing brand awareness. In the same year, Robb Report China chose the Legacy 650 as the Best of the Best in the large executive jet category.

In 2012, The Hurun Report, one of the most widely recognized authorities in tracking the rapid growth of China’s high-net-worth individuals, recognized the Legacy 650 as the Best of the Best.

Customer Service & Support a top priority

Since launching Embraer Executive Jets, we have invested $200 million in building a premium, worldwide support network that now numbers more than 75 Embraer-Owned and Authorized Service Centers worldwide. This network is complemented by a 24-hour Customer Contact Center at the Company’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil, to provide assistance to customers anywher in the world, anytime of the day.

Embraer is a company on the rise, investing in customer convenience with an ambitious decision to move the Embraer Executive Jet headquarters to the United States in 2008. With a $50 million investment, the new Melbourne, FL, complex began with the 80,000-square-foot Phenom 100 assembly center which was opened in February 2011 at Melbourne International Airport. In December of that same year, we opened the 58,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art Customer Center wher customers for the entire range of Embraer Executive Jets come to design the interior of their aircraft. The Customer Center is also the delivery site for all U.S.-assembled Phenoms, the first of which was delivered in December 2011.

In March 2012, Embraer announced the expansion of its Melbourne campus with the addition of the Embraer Engineering and Technology Center USA, a 67,000-square-foot facility which is the first of its kind for Embraer outside of Brazil. The Embraer Engineering and Technology Center, representing a total project cost of approximately $26 million, will conduct research and development activities for both product and technology development across Embraer’s commercial, executive jet and military business lines with the first assignments primarily focused on executive jet interiors. While the engineering and technology work begins in the third quarter of 2012, the new facility is expected to be fully operational during the second half of 2014. Embraer will be partnering with universities and other educational institutions in the US and in Florida to develop programs of mutual benefit.