Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner hosted Embraer executive vice president Mauro Kern yesterday at the Argentine Presidential Palace during a ceremony marking the planned sale of 20 Embraer 190ARs to Buenos Aires-based Austral Airlines. According to Embraer, a firm sales contract will take effect within two months, “after fulfilling certain requirements.” The contract calls for first delivery during the first half of next year.

In a parallel but ostensibly “independent” development, Embraer and the Argentine Ministry of Defense signed an MoU that calls for the use of the military maintenance and modification center known as Área Material Córdoba (AMC) for the supply of service and parts for Embraer aircraft in Argentina.

Brazil’s national development bank BNDES has agreed to finance 85 percent of the purchase price, or some $585 million, according to Brazilian media.

The E190ARs fly as far as 2,400 nm and will seat 96 passengers in Austral’s cabin configuration. Austral plans to use the airplanes to increase frequencies on domestic routes and possibly open new markets for parent airline Aerolineas, Argentina’s state-owned national carrier.

By the time of yesterday’s Austral announcement, Embraer had yet to register a firm order for any of its airliners this year.  
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