Embraer’s Florida Plant Earns Production Certificate

Embraer's first manufacturing plant in the U.S. earned its production certificate this week. The Melbourne, Fla., facility has been shipping Phenom 100s since last December but the aircraft were certified under the type certificate for Brazilian-made Phenoms. The aircraft are assembled using assemblies made in Brazil. The plant was opened a little more than a year ago.

Embraer says the Melbourne facility is its first "paperless" line, meaning all reference and documentation materials are electronic. "We are justly proud of this facility in which we combined highly educated, high-tech people with advanced production techniques that are on the leading edge of modern aircraft production," said Phil Krul, managing director of the plant. The plant is geared to make up to about 100 Phenoms a year.