SkyWest Inc has placed a firm order for nine Embraer E175 jets (worth $422 million at current list prices), with deliveries expected to begin this year.

SkyWest Airlines (www.inc.skywest.com) will operate all nine of the 76-seat aircraft.

Embraer vice-president Charlie Hillis said (www.embraer.com): “Since 2013, SkyWest has purchased a total of 158 E175s — including these nine — in order to expand its fleet of Embraer aircraft. Without a doubt, the E175 has become the backbone of the regional aviation market in the USA.”

Including this contract, Embraer has sold more than 565 E175s to airlines in North America since January 2013, earning the company more than 80% of all orders in the 70- to 76-seat jet segment.

Since entering revenue service, the E-Jets family has received more than 1,800 orders, and over 1,500 aircraft have been delivered.

Today, E-Jets are being flown by 70 customers in 50 countries. Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft; it maintains industrial units, offices, service and parts distribution centres (among other activities) across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.