LISBON (Reuters) – Brazil’s Embraer voiced “full support” for Pratt & Whitney as it battles durability problems on its latest jet engines, but said a separate business tussle with engine makers had forced it to suspend plans for a new turboprop plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief Executive Francisco Gomes Neto told reporters that Raytheon Technologies (NYSE:RTX) unit Pratt & Whitney was working hard to overcome premature wear problems grounding some jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I am personally involved in this; we recently visited them… We believe they have the competence to resolve the problems,” Gomes Neto told a media briefing in Portugal, adding that Embraer jets had been less affected than other models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The world’s third-largest planemaker uses Pratt Whitney’s Geared Turbofan engines on its latest E2 series of jets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Similar engines are available on the larger Airbus A320neo family and are at the centre of a dispute between Pratt and India’s GoFirst over the cause of the airline’s bankruptcy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gomes Neto said Embraer was involved in ongoing campaigns for potential commercial jet sales covering a total of more than 200 airplanes, which he said would support a goal of restoring annual jet deliveries to 100 a year within 3-4 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at an annual media event, he also confirmed that the company’s plans for a new turboprop aircraft were “on hold” and blamed a lack of attractive business offers from engine makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We have not yet found the right engine solution,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pratt & Whitney Canada is the sole provider of engines for current turboprops, which are used for short regional routes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
General Electric\u00a0(NYSE:GE) has declined to participate in the project, leaving Pratt & Whitney Canada or Rolls-Royce (OTC:RYCEY).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief Financial Officer Antonio Carlos Garcia said Embraer could have built a new turboprop alone but would not have made a big enough difference compared to existing models. Embraer would still need a partner for a more game-changing design, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The market for roughly 50-70-seat turboprops is dominated by Franco-Italian firm ATR, owned by Airbus and Leonardo.<\/p>\n