The E-Jets E2 program reached another important milestone today withthe completion of the maiden flight of the E190-E2. The flight was originallyscheduled to take place during the second half of this year.
The aircraft took off at 1:06 p.m., local time from Embraer’sfacility in São José dos Campos and flew for three hours and 20 minutes. Theflight occurred just three months after the E190-E2 made its public début at arollout ceremony at the factory in late February. The inaugural flight marksthe beginning of the certification campaign for the E190-E2, the first of threenew second-generation E-Jet models. The E190-E2 is scheduled to enter commercialservice in 2018.
「A first flight is always an emotional occasion, no matter how manyyou witness over the years. In this particular case, we are not only keepingour promises to the market, we are going beyond by being a few months ahead ofschedule. I want to thank each and every Embraer employee who is participatingin this project,」 said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President & CEO.
「What a first flight! Today, all of us at Embraer should be proudand thrilled of this remarkable achievement. Watching the first E190-E2 take tothe skies means we are paving the way for a bright future in commercialaviation. I’m certain that the market will show even greater interest not onlyfor E190-E2, but also for the other E2s as well,」 said Paulo Cesar Silva, President& CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation.
Embraer Captain Mozart Louzada commanded the aircraft along withFirst Officer Gerson de Oliveira Mendes, and Flight Test Engineers AlexandreFigueiredo and Carlos Silveira. Today’s flight evaluated aircraft handling andperformance characteristics with the crew analyzing a significant number offlight parameters, including speed, altitude and landing gear retraction. Thiswas made possible by the high level of maturity that the E2 reached duringprogram development through the extensive use of digital modeling simulationsand ground and static tests that employed rigs and an iron bird.
「There are always a lot of expectations with a first flight andtodays』 was no exception. The flight was very smooth. We were able tosignificantly open the flight envelope by flying at mach 0.82, climbing to41,000 feet and retracting the landing gear and flaps, and engaging thefly-by-wire in normal mode. All of these demonstrate that the E190-E2 projectis very mature and robust, and exceed all performance targets」 said CaptainLouzada.
The aircraft that flew today is the first of four prototypes thatwill be used in the E190-E2 certification program. Two additional aircraft willbe assigned for the E195-E2 certification process that will lead to entry intoservice in 2019. Three more aircraft will be used to certify the E175-E2 whichis scheduled to enter service in 2020.
The E190-E2 has the same number of seats as the current-generationE190 and can be configured with 97 seats in dual class or 106 seats in asingle-class layout. It has 400 nautical miles more range than thecurrent-generation E190 and gives operators the ability to fly the aircraft upto 2,800 nautical miles.
Since the E-Jets E2s were launched in June 2013, the program haslogged 640 commitments from airlines and leasing companies: 267 are firm ordersand 373 are options and purchase rights. The E-Jets family of aircraft is theleader in the up-to-130-seat aircraft category with more than 50% worldwidemarket share. Embraer E-Jets are currently in service with some 70 customersfrom 50 countries.
E-Jets E2s represent the best of new technology in a provenplatform. The application of advanced technologies for engines, wings, andavionics sets the E2s apart by providing airlines with the most efficientairplanes in the category yet maintaining commonality with current-generationE-Jets. Enhancements include new aerodynamically-advanced high-aspect ratiodistinctively-shaped wings, improved systems and avionics, 4th generation fullfly-by-wire flight controls, and Pratt & Whitney’s PurePowerTM GearedTurbofan high by-pass ratio engines (PW1700G on the E175-E2, PW1900G on theE190-E2 and E195-E2). These combine to generate double-digit reductions in fuelconsumption, emissions, noise, and maintenance costs, as well greaterproductivity though less scheduled maintenance downtime. E-Jets E2s willachieve similar costs per seat as larger re-engined narrow-body aircraft butwith significantly lower costs per trip. Those savings will create newopportunities for lower-risk development of new markets and fleet right-sizing.