Passaredo Receives First Embraer ERJ 145 Jet

Released on Tuesday, May 19, 2009

S�o José dos Campos, May 19, 2009 � Through its wholly owned subsidiary ECC Leasing Company Limited, Embraer delivered the first ERJ 145 jet to Passaredo Linhas Aéreas, last April, in line with a leasing contract signed in November 2008 for two aircraft of this model. The jet went into commercial operation on May 18, at 9:34 a.m., on flight no. PTB1480, that left the company's home city of Ribeir�o Preto, in the State S�o Paulo, for Curitiba, in the State of Paraná, both in Brazil.

"This is, without doubt, an important marker for Embraer to have an ERJ 145 aircraft operating commercially, once again, in Brazil," said Paulo Estev�o de Carvalho Tullio, Embraer Vice President, Asset Management. "We are certain that this jet will play an essential role in Passaredo's plans for expanding its regional routes."

The two pre-owned ERJ 145 jets leased by Passaredo have seating for 50 passengers. The second jet is in the final preparation stage at Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services (EAMS), in Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States, and should be delivered, soon, to the customer.

"For us, at Passaredo, this is a very special moment, because several years of study brought us to the decision to adopt this aircraft and, today, we are sure that it will be a success in the market," said Ricardo Magalh�es Cagno, Passaredo's Commercial and Planning Director. "This plane will most certainly provide our passengers with greater comfort and will facilitate their travel, beside the fact that we have a 100% Brazilian fleet."

Passaredo currently operates six EMB 120 Brasilia aircraft and will use the ERJ 145 jets to strengthen its presence in Brazil's regional markets. The range of the ERJ 145 allows flights of up to 1,550 nautical miles (2,870 km) with 50 passengers, which is sufficient to fly nonstop from S�o Paulo to Brasília, Porto Alegre, Recife, or Salvador.

The ERJ 145 is the first member of Embraer's diversified family of regional jets that also includes the ERJ 135 (37 seats) and the ERJ 140 (44 seats). The aircraft's concept and design seek to provide an optimized solution for the regional airline market. Simplified maintenance, low direct operating costs, high dispatch reliability, and an excellent mission completion rate are highlights of the airplane, which is adequate for high-frequency use and capable of operating for 3,000 hours per year in the demanding regional aviation market.