Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA, the world’s fourth-largest aircraft maker, said deliveries rose 19 percent in the third quarter from a year earlier, while the orders backlog shrank.

Embraer, as the company is known, shipped 57 planes in the three months through September, up from 48 in the year-earlier period, according to an e-mailed statement. Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil-based Embraer has shipped 153 jets so far in 2009.

The company has to increase deliveries to 89 planes in the fourth quarter to meet its 242-unit delivery goal for 2009. Chief Executive Officer Frederico Curado said July 31 he was “very comfortable” about meeting the target.

The backlog fell for the third time in four quarters to $18.6 billion from $19.8 billion in June, the company said today.

Embraer lost 0.6 percent to 10.20 reais at 11:43 a.m. in Sao Paulo. The stock has risen 16 percent so far this year.

To contact the reporters on this story: Heloiza Canassa in Sao Paulo at hcanassa@bloomberg.net Laura Price in London at lprice3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 7, 2009 10:47 EDT