<p>Brazil's Embraer is in talks with potential partners in India and elsewhere over proposals for a new turboprop aircraft, which it could launch in the middle of 2023, the planemaker's commercial chief said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Embraer is also in detailed talks with engine makers about the proposed new regional aeroplane, which would seek to penetrate a market dominated by Franco-Italian ATR, Embraer Commercial Aviation Chief Executive Arjan Meijer told Reuters at the Airline Economics conference.</p>.<p>Embraer has been discussing returning to the turboprop sector since 2017 as it looks to expand its portfolio.</p>.<p>It said in 2020 it could opt for a combination of industrial and financial backing, though some analysts expect a more traditional approach based on risk-sharing deals with suppliers.</p>.<p>"We're powering on with that," Meijer said. "That's going to be a big decision we have to make. For the launch we are looking at mid-2023," he added.</p>.<p>Such a plane could enter service in late 2027 or early 2028, he said in an interview.</p>.<p>Embraer has issued a request for proposals to engine makers and expects to make a decision by the end of the year.</p>.<p>The Brazilian planemaker earlier announced the first leasing customer, Nordic Aviation Capital, for a project to convert Embraer E-Jet airliners to freighters</p>.<p>NAC and Embraer have reached an agreement on 10 aircraft with first aircraft in 2024.</p>.<p>Embraer sees a total market for 700 such conversions in the next 20 years and aims to capture 20% of that, Meijer said.</p>.<p>"Cargo is the big thing right now. We all order more from home so there are a lot more deliveries to your front door. The pandemic has accelerated these trends across the world," he added.</p>.<p>Like most manufacturers, Embraer is seeing supply chain problems but expects that to result in supply chains for manufacturing and other industries being shortened overall.</p>.<p>That, in turn, should boost demand for shorter trips that are suited to the regional market served by Embraer, Meijer said.</p>
<p>Brazil's Embraer is in talks with potential partners in India and elsewhere over proposals for a new turboprop aircraft, which it could launch in the middle of 2023, the planemaker's commercial chief said on Tuesday.</p>.<p>Embraer is also in detailed talks with engine makers about the proposed new regional aeroplane, which would seek to penetrate a market dominated by Franco-Italian ATR, Embraer Commercial Aviation Chief Executive Arjan Meijer told Reuters at the Airline Economics conference.</p>.<p>Embraer has been discussing returning to the turboprop sector since 2017 as it looks to expand its portfolio.</p>.<p>It said in 2020 it could opt for a combination of industrial and financial backing, though some analysts expect a more traditional approach based on risk-sharing deals with suppliers.</p>.<p>"We're powering on with that," Meijer said. "That's going to be a big decision we have to make. For the launch we are looking at mid-2023," he added.</p>.<p>Such a plane could enter service in late 2027 or early 2028, he said in an interview.</p>.<p>Embraer has issued a request for proposals to engine makers and expects to make a decision by the end of the year.</p>.<p>The Brazilian planemaker earlier announced the first leasing customer, Nordic Aviation Capital, for a project to convert Embraer E-Jet airliners to freighters</p>.<p>NAC and Embraer have reached an agreement on 10 aircraft with first aircraft in 2024.</p>.<p>Embraer sees a total market for 700 such conversions in the next 20 years and aims to capture 20% of that, Meijer said.</p>.<p>"Cargo is the big thing right now. We all order more from home so there are a lot more deliveries to your front door. The pandemic has accelerated these trends across the world," he added.</p>.<p>Like most manufacturers, Embraer is seeing supply chain problems but expects that to result in supply chains for manufacturing and other industries being shortened overall.</p>.<p>That, in turn, should boost demand for shorter trips that are suited to the regional market served by Embraer, Meijer said.</p>