SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, May 2 /PRNewswire/ --
-- Total Legacy 600 Executive Jets in the Middle East Region Now Totals Seven Aircraft
Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) (Bovespa: EMBR3 EMBR4) today announced it has sold two more Legacy 600 aircraft in the Middle East, bringing the total to seven executive jets now operating in the region.
In Beirut, Lebanon, Mr. Adnan Kassar, Chairman & CEO of Fransabank SAL and Chairman of the General Union of Arab Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, has acquired a Legacy 600. The aircraft is due for delivery in the third quarter 2006.
"As our business expands, the need for an efficient, safe, reliable and economical form of transportation becomes vitally important," said Mr. Kassar. "The choice of aircraft for our corporate travel was made very carefully. We chose the Legacy 600 because it has the right mix of range, economy and reliability, with a very comfortable and spacious cabin."
The second Legacy 600 jet was selected by Celtel International, a wholly owned and operated subsidiary of the mobile phone service provider MTC, based in Kuwait. Delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter 2006.
Mr. Sam Deeb, Chief Financial Officer of the MTC Group of Companies, explains his choice, "In MTC's search for the right aircraft, Embraer was the best value for money in a super midsize corporate aircraft, while meeting the companies requirements for safety, operational efficiency, as well as the high quality and luxurious finishing of the interior." Mr. Deeb added, "The Legacy 600 offers the range capability we are looking for as we intend to fully use the aircraft to develop and support our business interests throughout the Middle East and Africa."
Colin Steven, Vice-President, Marketing and Sales -- Europe, Africa and Middle East, Executive Jets, commented on those new sales, "We have always believed that the Legacy 600 is ideally made for this particular market. The aircraft's range coupled with 'hot and high' performance makes it a truly well-suited jet to operate throughout the Middle East." He concluded, "The Legacy 600 is an easy choice in any economy. It offers the ideal balance of cabin comfort, performance and cost. These two new orders are testimony to the Legacy 600's success and further acceptance in this important market for Embraer."
Embraer has placed a total of seven Legacy 600 jets in the Middle East, with one in operation in Saudi Arabia, two in the United Arab Emirates and two in Kuwait. Currently, there are 71 Legacy 600 jets operating in 17 countries.
Connecting the Middle East to Asia, Western Europe and South Africa, the Legacy 600 operates even at airports with 122 degrees F (50 degrees C) temperatures. Whether the journey is from Cairo to London or to Bombay, from Jeddah to Antananarivo, from Bahrain to Kinshasa or even to Bangkok, the aircraft is designed for high utilization in the most demanding operational conditions.
About the Legacy 600
The Legacy 600 provides premium comfort and privacy for up to 16 passengers in three distinct seating areas. Interior standard features include first-class leather seats, a plush divan, an elegant credenza, and spacious tables for dining or meetings. The aircraft also has a full-size galley for hot and cold meals, a full-breadth aft lavatory, wardrobe and storage cabinet, and an entertainment system with DVD players and satellite telecommunications. High Speed Data (HSD) and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) capability allows customers to browse the Internet, access e-mail and transfer files.
The Legacy 600 baggage compartment with 240 cubic feet (6.8 cubic meters) is one of the largest in the industry and is easily accessible during flights for greater passenger convenience.
The Legacy 600 cruises at a speed of up to Mach 0.80 and offers a range of 3,250 nautical miles (6,019 km) with eight passengers and NBAA IFR reserves. This range, bolstered by superior passenger and luggage capacity, enables our customers to fly nonstop from New York to London, London or Geneva to Dubai, Singapore to Beijing, Jakarta to Melbourne, and Singapore to Beijing or to Port Moresby at lower operating costs than competitive aircraft with similar cabin size. Additionally, the Legacy 600 is the largest business jet certified to operate into and out of London City Airport, being capable of flying from London City to Moscow and back with eight passengers.
Designed to endure an average of 2,500 hours per year, the Legacy 600 offers low operating cost and a track record of over 99 percent dispatch availability. The super midsize twin-engine business jet is based on the successful ERJ 145 regional jet family platform that accumulates over nine million flight hours on more than 900 aircraft, and counting. Priced at US$ 23.6 million in January 2006 economic conditions for FAA certification, there are 71 Legacy 600 currently operating in 17 countries.
Also available in Shuttle and Shuttle HC configurations, the Legacy is designed to provide comfort and functionality. The Legacy Shuttle accommodates between 16 and 19 passengers in business-class comfort. The Shuttle HC version enhances owner productivity and comfortably seats as many as 37 passengers in a superior airline-quality interior. Prices for the Shuttle versions range from US$ 17.8 million to US$ 18.52 million (January 2006 economic conditions for FAA certification).
More information is available at http://www.embraerexecutivejets.com .
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About Embraer
Embraer (NYSE: ERJ) (Bovespa: EMBR3 EMBR4) (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A.) is the world's leading manufacturer of Commercial jets up to 110 seats with 36 years of experience in designing, developing, manufacturing, selling and providing after sales support to aircraft for the global Airline, Executive, and Defense and Government markets. With headquarters in Sao Jose dos Campos, state of Sao Paulo, the Company has offices and customer service bases in the United States, France, Portugal, China and Singapore. Embraer is among Brazil's leading exporting companies. As of March 31, 2006, Embraer had a total workforce of 17,144 people, and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 10.4 billion.
This document may contain projections, statements and estimates regarding circumstances or events yet to take place. Those projections and estimates are based largely on current expectations, forecasts on future events and financial tendencies that affect the Company's businesses. Those estimates are subject to risks, uncertainties and suppositions that include, among others: general economic, political and trade conditions in Brazil and in those markets where the Company does business; expectations on industry trends; the Company's investment plans; its capacity to develop and deliver products on the dates previously agreed upon, and existing and future governmental regulations. The words "believe," "may," "is able," "will be able," "intend," "continue," "anticipate," "expect" and other similar terms are supposed to identify potentialities. The Company does not feel compelled to publish updates nor to revise any estimates due to new information, future events or any other facts. In view of the inherent risks and uncertainties, such estimates, events and circumstances may not take place. The actual results can therefore differ substantially from those previously published as Company expectations.
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