SAO PAULO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker

Embraer's ( ERJ ) average delay to deliver aircraft is around

one to two months, the firm's chief financial officer said on

Thursday, highlighting it as shorter than the delays larger

peers face.

The aviation industry has grappled with supply issues since

the pandemic, forcing plane manufacturers to delay deliveries

and constraining a capacity increase that would help airlines

meet higher travel demand.

Engines continue to be Embraer's ( ERJ ) biggest supply-constraint

problem, CFO Antonio Carlos Garcia told reporters, but the

company has avoided excessive extensions to delivery deadlines.

"We only commit to our clients when we can deliver. So there

can be a delay, but one to two months maximum this year," Garcia

said. "While for Boeing ( BA ) and Airbus it may top a year, depending

on the client."

The two rival manufacturers did not immediately respond to

requests for comment.

The Brazilian firm's niche is the regional market for planes

smaller than Boeing's ( BA ) and Airbus' best-selling

150-seat-plus market. Embraer's ( ERJ ) E2 jets, however, directly

compete with Airbus' A220.

Embraer ( ERJ ) has experienced strong demand for its small

narrowbody aircraft, such as the next-generation E2, as carriers

face a shortage of larger single-aisle planes due to Boeing's ( BA )

and Airbus' extended delivery timelines.

The backlog of Embraer's ( ERJ ) commercial-aviation unit ended the

second quarter at $11.3 billion worth of firm orders, up 40%

year-on-year, while the overall backlog stood at a seven-year

high of $21.1 billion.

Garcia confirmed that Embraer ( ERJ ), which expects to deliver 72

to 80 commercial aircraft this year, still has production slots

available for 2026.

Recent sales included 20 E2 jetliners to Mexico's state-run

Mexicana de Aviacion and eight E190-E2 to Virgin Australia.

"Mexicana is a clear example," Embraer ( ERJ ) investor relations

head Guilherme Paiva said. "The problems that the industry faces

obviously have favored companies like us, which have managed to

deliver aircraft on time."