By Skies Magazine | October 21, 2019 Estimated reading time 2 minutes, 5 seconds.
Embraer announced on Oct. 21 at NBAA-BACE that fractional ownership operator Flexjet has signed a firm order for 64 Praetor and Phenom 300 business jets. The exact mix of aircraft in the deal is flexible according to market demands.
The order, worth US$1.4 billion at current list prices, means that Flexjet will become the launch customer for the recently-certified Praetor jet family, which was announced one year ago at NBAA-BACE in Orlando.
“We are very grateful for Flexjet’s renewed commitment to Embraer through this new agreement, which reflects the growth and the strength of our partnership over the past 16 years and symbolizes our ongoing support for their journey ahead,” said Michael Amalfitano, president and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets.
The partnership between Embraer and Flexjet dates back to 2003, when Flight Options, which merged with Flexjet in 2015, became the first fractional ownership program to introduce the Legacy executive jet into its fleet.
“One of our predecessor companies was the first to commit to the Embraer line in 2003,” said Michael Silvestro, Flexjet CEO, at the press conference. “This is a renewed commitment to a great partnership. Embraer has been a fantastic supplier. It continues to be a great run.
“In the midsize market, the Legacy 450 and now the Praetor 500 are the best aircraft in that segment,” he added.
Silvestro said Flexjet will take delivery of the first Praetor 500 in three to four weeks. Today, Flexjet operates more than 70 Embraer Phenom and Legacy aircraft.
