The Embraer ERJ 190-100 is a twin-engine medium-range jet airliner for
up to 114 passengers. Embraer, the Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica
S.A., is a Brazilian corporation, founded in 1969. Embraer was a nearly
bankrupt concern when it was restructured and privatised in 1995. Today
it is one of the largest aviation manufacturers in the world, producing
regional commercial, military, and corporate aircraft. In the
mid-1990s, Embraer entered the short-haul feeder-liner jet market with
the Embraer EMB145, renamed ERJ-145 EMBRAER Regional Jet since. In 1996,
Embraer began studies on a new regional jet in the 70/90-seat category,
based on the successful ERJ-145 concept, and approached 46 regional
airlines and performed in-depth investigations on trends in North
America, Europe and Asia. In 1997, these studies led to a new concept
for the jet liner. On 11 February 1999, Embraer announced the
"pre-launch" of the programme to develop the new airliner for the 61-80
seat niche. The definitive launch of the E-170/190 project was announced
at the Paris Air Show in June 1999, with as launch customers for the
aircraft Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, France, with ten orders
and five options for the E-170; and the Swiss airline Crossair with an
order for 30 E-170s and 30 E-190s. The prototype ERJ-170, c/n 17000001,
registered PP-XJE, flew first on 19 February 2002. The Embraer E-Jets
line is composed of two main commercial families and a business jet
variant. The 170 and 175 share 95% commonality, as do the 190 and 195.
The two families share near 89% commonality, with identical fuselage
cross-sections and avionics, featuring the Honeywell Primus Epic EFIS
suite. The E-170/E-175 models in the 80-seat range are the smaller in
the E-Jet family. They are powered with General Electric CF34-8E engines
of 14,200 lbs (62.28 kN) thrust each. The E-190/195 models are a larger
stretch of the E-170/175 models fitted with a new, larger wing and
landing gear structure, larger horizontal stabilizer and a new engine,
the GE CF34-10E, rated at 18,500 lbs (82.30 kN). The high performance,
high efficiency General Electric CF34-8E and CF34-10E engines are very
quiet and the aircraft meets and exceeds the noise and emission-related
requirements established by the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO). The field performance enables the aircraft to
operate efficiently at airports located in strategic places that present
operational restrictions. The prototype ERJ-190, c/n 19000001,
registered PP-XMA, flew first on 12 March 2004. Although generally known with simply an "E" prefix, the jets are technically
still Embraer Regional Jets ("ERJ"s). Embraer dropped the ERJ prefix in
its advertising and replaced it with simply an "E" for market reasons. The E-Jets Family
is produced in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Today, over 1000 Embraer
E-Jet family aircraft have
been delivered to operators all over the world. |