Today, the Company is renowned in the global commercial, executive, and defense aviation markets

09:43 GMT, August 20, 2009 São José dos Campos | Embraer celebrated a four-decade history, yesterday. Throughout this period, the Company designed more than 20 different aircraft models for the commercial and executive aviation markets and the defense segment. Since the IPD 6504 project of the then-Aeronautics Technical Center (Centro Técnico de Aeronáutica – CTA), now the Aerospace Technology and Sciences Directorate (Diretoria de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial), from which the pioneering Bandeirante originated, to the recent and aggressive project for developing the KC-390 cargo and refueling plane, in a partnership with the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB), Embraer has delivered around 5,000 airplanes to 88 countries on five continents. The Company is now recognized, worldwide, for the excellent design of its products, the flexibility of its production chain, and the top quality of the services it provides.

Created on August 19, 1969, by Decree-Law number 770, Embraer – Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A. was a mixed capital company under government control. The purpose was to found a company capable of transforming science and technology, developed by the CTA and by the Aeronautics Technological Institute (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica – ITA) into engineering and industrial capacity.

“Embraer is the fruit of an ambitious long-term project of the Brazilian Government, envisioned by Air Marshall Casimiro Montenegro in the 1940s and continued by thousands of people who have worked and put forth every effort for us to arrive at this day,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President & CEO.

The beginning of Embraer’s activities was marked by the production of the Bandeirante (EMB 110) turboprop, the Ipanema (EMB 200) crop duster aircraft, and the high-performance Urupema (EMB 400) glider, as well as the advanced training and ground attack Xavante (EMB 326) jet, under license from Italy’s Aermacchi. In the year when man set foot on the Moon for the first time, Embraer took its first steps in establishing itself as a globally competitive aircraft manufacturer.

The decade of the 1970s saw the first deliveries and the development of new products, like the Xingu (EMB 121) executive aircraft, the Tucano (EMB 312) military trainer, and the 30-seat Brasilia (EMB 120) turboprop, besides the AMX jet program, in cooperation with Italy’s Aeritalia (now, Alenia) and Aermacchi, which allowed the Company to quickly attain a new technological and industrial level.

During the prolonged financial crisis at the beginning of the ‘90s, Embraer considerably reduced its number of employees, slowed down the development of the ERJ 145 regional jet, and cancelled the CBA 123 Vector project. After a long and difficult process, in which numerous problems were faced, the Company was privatized on December 7, 1994. As of 1995, a profound cultural and business transformation culminated in Embraer’s recovery and a return to growth, driven by the ERJ 145 project.

When the EMBRAER 170/190 family of commercial jets – the E-Jets, with 70 to 122 seats – began to go into operation, in 2004, consolidating Embraer’s position as the leader in this market and expanding its activities related aviation services, solid bases were established for the Company’s growth. In 2005, the Ipanema achieved 1,000 units produced, and production began of the ethanol-powered version.

At the turn of the century, the launch of new products for the defense segment and the entrance to the business jet market made it possible to broaden Embraer’s scope, increase revenues, and diversify its markets.

In 2001, Embraer delivered the first super midsize Legacy 600 executive jet. Confirming the Company’s commitment to become a major player in the segment, over the following years, Embraer launched the entry level Phenom 100, the light Phenom 300, the midlight Legacy 450, the midsize Legacy 500, and the ultra-large Lineage 1000 jets, forming a complete and modern aircraft portfolio.

In the defense segment, the Super Tucano advanced trainer and light attack urboprop, in operation in the Brazilian and Colombian Air Forces, was also ordered by Chile, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, climbing to 169 planes sold, and Embraer’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft went into operation in Brazil, Mexico, and Greece.