Embraer delivered the first EMBRAER 175 jet to Oman Air, today, at the Company’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. The aircraft will serve the airline’s regional routes operating from Muscat International Airport. The deal was originally announced in November 2009 and includes firm orders for five EMBRAER 175s, plus options for another five aircraft.

“Defining itself as a ‘boutique airline’ in the Gulf area, Oman Air offers its customers outstanding service in a highly demanding market,” said Paulo César de Souza e Silva, Embraer Executive Vice President, Airline Market. “Their decision for the EMBRAER 175 makes us truly proud, since it gives a strong endorsement to our E-Jets in such a complex marketplace.”

Oman Air’s EMBRAER 175s are configured with 71 seats, in a dual-class layout, with 11 seats in the business class and 60 in economy.

“The E-Jets are the ideal platform from which we can expand our regional route network and better align frequency with demand,” said Peter Hill, CEO of Oman Air. “Having this flexibility allows us to introduce more point-to-point routes currently not sustainable with larger aircraft, as well as upgrading our services to domestic destinations like Khasab and other new airports currently being developed within the Sultanate of Oman.”

Oman Air also signed the Embraer Pool Flight Hour Program service contract. Embraer’s Pool program quickly provides replacement parts and eliminates the need for inventory investments, via an agreement in which the customer pays a given amount, based on the number of flight hours of the aircraft enrolled in the program. Embraer assumes the responsibility for maintaining a parts inventory at its distribution and service centers, in order to provide parts to operators as soon as they are requested.

Embraer press release