Dubai's Emirates Airlines' training academy has agreed to buy a total of 27 aircraft from U.S. manufacturer Cirrus and Brazil's Embraer in a deal worth US$39 million, the carrier said on Wednesday.

The purchase agreement, a first for the academy, includes 22 Cirrus SR22 and five twin-jet Embraer Phenom 100E, Emirates said in a statement.

Emirates Flight Training Academy will use the aircraft to train its cadet pilots and will begin taking delivery in 2017.

In June, rival Etihad Airways placed an order for four Phenom 100E jets for its flight college unit, which will bring its training fleet to 20 on delivery.