During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s State visit to Brazil, in a signing ceremony witnessed by the Presidents of both nations, Embraer S.A. concluded an agreement for the sale of 40 aircraft to China’s Tianjin Airlines, a subsidiary of the HNA Group. The contract, with an estimated value of USD 2.1 billion at list prices, is comprised of 20 E-Jets and 20 E-Jets E2, which also makes HNA Group Tianjin Airlines the first Chinese airline to order the E-Jets E2 model.

The first current generation E-Jet will be delivered in 2015, and the first E-Jet E2 is scheduled for delivery in 2018. This order will be incorporated in Embraer’s backlog as soon as Embraer receives the initial payment from the customer.

“The deal truly marks a significant milestone in our longstanding partnership with the HNA Group and Tianjin Airlines, the operator of the largest fleet of E-Jets in Asia. This new order reinforces the airline’s success with Embraer E-Jets. The remarkable achievements of the airline and its contribution to regional aviation in China are a showcase for Embraer aircraft,” said Paulo Cesar Silva, President & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We are proud that we are working together to open new markets and build an air transport network for the benefit of the country.”

“Embraer E190s have been the cornerstone of our regional expansion strategy over the past few years and have allowed us to achieve our development objectives. We see these additional orders as a continuation of both our short-term and long-term growth plans,” said Liu Lu, Executive Chairman & President of Tianjin Airlines. “The twenty new E-Jets E2s will bring us even greater efficiency and flexibility in adding frequencies and expanding markets.”

Since the first E-Jet entering in service in 2004, to date, over 1,000 E-Jets are in services with 65 airlines in 45 countries. While the E-Jets have become a global success, the E-Jets E2 represents Embraer’s commitment to continuously invest in the company’s line of commercial jets and maintain its leadership in the 70 to 130 seats market. The E-Jets E2 adopts state-of-the-art engines in combination with new aerodynamically advanced wings, full fly-by-wire flight controls and advancements in other systems, which will result in significant improvements in fuel burn, maintenance costs, emissions and external noise. The first delivery of an E-Jet E2 is planned for the first semester of 2018.

The Embraer-Tianjin Airlines partnership is well established. Tianjin Airlines was the launch customer for the E190 in China and operates the largest E-Jets fleet in Asia with 50 E190s in its fleet. It is also the first carrier in China being appointed as an Authorized Service Center for Embraer aircraft in that country. Recently, the carrier announced to install Embraer AHEAD-PRO system for all its 50 E190s, becoming the first user of this system in China.

Embraer press release