Country of origin:

Brazil

Description:

Commercial airliner

Power Plant:

Two 14,200 lbst General Electric CF34-8E turbofans

Specifications:

History:

The Embraer Models 170, 175, 190 and 195 were members of a family of turbofan-powered passenger aircraft produced by Embraer in Brazil which were developed following the success of the EMB-145 series, with more than 900 examples of the latter delivered before Embraer moved on to the 70 to 100 seat regional jet airline market.

The Model 170 was produced in 70-seat form in four-abreast configuration with a crew of two. By early 2005 62 Model 170s and two Model 175s had been delivered.

Features of the series include FADEC equipped General Electric CF34 engines, a “double-bubble” cross-section fuselage, moderately swept wings with winglets, fly-by-wire controls, and Honeywell Primus Epic EFIS avionics. The Model 175 seated 78 passengers. Access to the aircraft was via two doors on each side of the fuselage, these allowing rapid boarding and de-planing with simultaneous servicing.

The new series of airliners was announced in February 1999 and the program was formally launched on 14 June that year at the Paris Air Show. Six aircraft carried out performance testing from the Company’s facility at Sao Jose dos Campos and the Gaviao Peixoto industrial centre.

The first member of the family released was the ERJ-170 (later the ERJ prefix was removed). The prototype was rolled out on 29 October 2001 and was flown for the first time on 19 February 2002. Public debut for the type was at the Regional Airline Association Convention at Nashville, Tennessee in May 2002, the European debut being made at the Farnborough Air Show in July that year. It was certificated in February 2004 in the United States of America and Europe, and deliveries began in March 2004 to LOT Polish Airlines, US Airways and Alitalia Express.

To build the aircraft 16 risk-sharing partners and 22 main suppliers became involved. Embraer was responsible for the design and development of the aircraft, manufacture of the forward fuselage, centre-section, wing to fuselage fairings, wing assembly and integration of the aircraft. Other companies involved in structural construction included Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, Sonaca in Belgium, Latecoere in France and Gamesa in Spain. Assembly took place at a dedicated facility in Brazil. The aircraft had an all-digital cockpit and there were five liquid crystal colour displays.

On 10 June 1999 European airline Crossair announced it had chosen the Models 170 and 190 with an order for 30 with 100 on option. On 15 June 1999 Regional Airlines of France placed an order for ten Model 170s with an option on five. All variants had similar digital cockpits with liquid crystal displays and most controls were fly by wire. Further orders were placed, including G E Capital Aviation Services for 50 ERJ-170s with an option on a further 100.

The Embraer 175 was similar to the Model 170 but had the fuselage stretched by 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) and the prototype of this model first flew on 14 June 2003. Both variants were offered in standard and long-range (LR) variants, and a corporate variant was also proposed.

In late 2006 a new Australian operator, SkyAirWorld announced that in June 2007 it would commence charter work in Australia using Embraer 170LR and 190LR aircraft, the Model 170 being aimed at routes such as Perth to Derby in Western Australia, Brisbane, QLD and Sydney, NSW to Norfolk Island, and Brisbane to Honiara in the Solomon Islands.

The Model 190 was to be used on the Sydney to Port Moresby, NG; Melbourne, VIC to Hamilton Island, QLD; Darwin, NT to Brisbane; Darwin to Christmas Island and Darwin to Dili in East Timor routes, the Model 190 having a 90 minutes ETOPS to allow it to operate the Melbourne to Christchurch, NZ; Adelaide, SA to Perth; and Brisbane to Nadi, Fiji routes. With a max payload the Model 190 had a range of 4,250 km (2,641 miles). The aircraft could also be used in the corporate and sport charter markets.

The first aircraft, a Model 170, was sourced from GE Capital, arriving in Australia in early 2007, becoming VH-SWO (c/n 17000081) on 8 March 2007 and being painted in the markings of an airline operating in the Solomon Islands. It was followed by VH-ANO (c/n 17000099) on 6 June to Capiteq Pty Ltd of Winnellie, NT.

On 2 November 2006 Virgin Blue announced that it was transforming itself from a low-cost carrier into an all-round competitor to Qantas and had ordered 14 Embraer 170s and 190s, with an option on a further six, the order comprising 11 Model 190s and three Model 170s. This order was later increased to six Model 170s and 14 Model 190s with purchase rights on a further 17. The purchase of the new aircraft allowed Virgin to operate contracts with Western Australian mining companies and the aircraft would be able to serve the Sydney to Canberra, ACT and other routes more economically than the Boeing 737.

First Model 170-100LR for Virgin was taken delivery of at Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil in September 2007, becoming VH-ZHA (c/n 17000180 – ‘Belle-Issimo Blue’) and being fitted out with 78 seats, arriving in Brisbane on 11 September. This was followed by VH-ZHC (c/n 170-00191), an ERJ-100LF.

Air North, based in the Northern Territory, also ordered the Model 170 during 2006, stating the first machine would be used on northern and north-western routes, as well as to East Timor, this aircraft being delivered in June 2007 and becoming VH-ANO.

However, in May 2011 Virgin began selling off its ERJ-170-100LRs, stating it was replacing them with new ATR-72s, VH-ZHA becoming N746CZ in the United States, VH-ZHB becoming N747CZ, VH-ZHD to N749CZ, etc.

Capteq Pty Ltd of Winnellie, NT registered an example on 2 September 2016, this aircraft becoming VH-ANF (c/n 17000036).