First E175-E2 jet completes maiden flight

 

The Embraer E175-E2 made its inaugural flight on Dec. 12 from the company’s facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Embraer reports that the maiden flight of the E175-E2, which is the third member of the E-Jets E2 family, kicks off a 24-month flight test campaign for the jet.

Composite parts on Embraer’s E-Jet family are said to include flight-control components such as flaps, ailerons, elevators, rudders and spoilers, as well as landing gear doors, wing-fuselage fairings and radomes.

The E175-E2 departed at 11:07 a.m. local time from the runway adjacent to Embraer’s Faria Lima complex and flew for two hours and 18 minutes. Embraer’s Captain Mozart Louzada commanded the aircraft along with first officer Wander Almodovar Golfetto, and flight engineers Gilberto Meira Cardoso and Mario Ito. The aircraft took off and landed with fly-by-wire (FBW) controls in normal mode. The crew evaluated aircraft performance, flight quality and systems behavior.

Embraer will use three aircraft for the E175-E2 certification campaign. The first and second prototypes will be used for aerodynamic, performance and system tests. The third prototype will be used to validate maintenance tasks and will be outfitted with interior furnishings.

The E175-E2 has one additional row of seats compared to the first-generation E175 and can be configured with 80 seats in two classes, or up to 90 in a single class. According to Embraer, the airplane will save up to 16% in fuel and 25% in maintenance costs per seat compared to the E175.

Embraer also reports that like the E190-E2 and the E195-E2, the E175-E2 will have the longest maintenance intervals in the single-aisle jet category with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit for typical E-Jet operations. 

The E175-E2 features new Pratt & Whitney GTF PW1700G ultra-high bypass ratio engines, a completely new wing, full fly-by-wire controls and new landing gear. Compared to the first-generation E175, 75% of aircraft systems are new.

“[The inaugural] flight of the E175-E2 marks the completion of our vision to produce a family of new-generation commercial aircraft that bring unparalleled cost savings to our customers, exceptional comfort for their passengers and fewer emissions for the planet,” says John Slattery, president and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “The E190-E2 and the E195-E2 are already stellar performers. The E175-E2 is just as impressive. We’re eager to get working on certification.”