FAA Certifies Embraer Lineage 1000 Executive Jet

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Type Certificate (TC) and a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for the company's ultra-large Lineage 1000 executive jet. The FAA certification follows type certification by Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil – ANAC) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in December 2008.

The STC is for the aircraft’s interior, which was designed, manufactured and installed by PATS Aircraft Completions, a subsidiary of DeCrane Aerospace, located in the United States.

According to information provided by Embraer, the maximum range of the Lineage 1000, originally projected to be 4,200 nautical miles (7,778 km or 4,833 miles) with eight passengers, or 4,350 nautical miles (8,056 km or 5,005 miles) with four passengers, has been extended to 4,400 nautical miles (8,149 km or 5,063 miles) with eight passengers, or 4,500 nautical miles (8,344 km or 5,179 miles) with four passengers, both with NBAA IFR reserves.

The aircraft is powered by two General Electric CF34-10E7-B engines, delivering 18,500 pounds of thrust each. It flies at a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.82, and is capable of flying at an altitude of 41,000 feet (12,497 meters).

The Lineage 1000 comes with an integrated Honeywell Primus Epic® avionics suite with five Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) multifunction control screens, Cursor Control Device (CCD), auto throttle, weather radar with turbulence detection, fly-by-wire, and other cutting-edge technologies. Besides the optional Electronic Flight Bag (EFB), there are such optional amenities as Wi-Fi technology and Internet access, plus other features.

Embraer notes that the Lineage 1000 can be configured to accommodate up to 19 passengers. Embraer offers a broad range of interior layouts for five different cabin zones, where passengers may enjoy privacy for meetings, resting, and meals. There is also a private suite with a shower. The cabin has three distinct temperature zones and a maximum altitude rating of 7,000 feet (2,134 meters).

The Lineage 1000, which is the largest business jet manufactured by Embraer, is based on the Embraer 190 commercial jet.

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New Bird in Town: FAA Certifies Embraer's Phenom 100 Executive Jet

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) announced that its new Phenom 100 executive jet was certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) on December 12, 2008. Embraer began delivering the aircraft this week.

The FAA granted a U.S. Type Certificate based upon Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency’s (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil – ANAC) Type Certificate issued on December 9, 2008. EASA certification is expected for the second quarter of 2009.

According to information porovided by Embraer, the Phenom 100’s maximum range, originally projected to be 1,160 nautical miles (2,148 kilometers or 1,335 miles), has been extended to 1,178 nautical miles (2,182 kilometers or 1,356 miles) with four occupants and NBAA IFR reserves.

An optional enhanced take-off performance package was included in the aircraft certification, resulting in a 3,125 feet takeoff field length at maximum take-off weight. The standard take-off field length is 3,400 feet as initially specified. For departures from airports with restrictions due to high temperatures or high elevations, or both, take-off climb performance has also surpassed the design target, providing up to 300 nautical miles extra range.

Another performance improvement was achieved with the landing distance, verified to be only 2,699 feet at maximum landing weight, 301 feet shorter than initially specified.

Powered by two fuel-efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F-E engines, the Phenom 100’s fuel consumption is confirmed to be better than originally estimated, saving as much as 3.6% on longer trips.

The flight test campaign also validated the Phenom 100’s top speed of 390 knots (true air speed), 10 knots faster than initially projected. The aircraft is capable of climbing directly to its maximum cruise altitude of 41,000 feet, even at maximum take-off weight.

Certified without restrictions, the Phenom 100 is able to fly under Visual and Instrument Flight Rules conditions, day or night, and into known or forecasted icing conditions.

The aircraft also operates well within Stage IV external noise requirements, established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), having been certified with a cumulative margin of 33 EPNdB.

Embraer says that the highly intuitive Phenom 100 man-machine interface, based on a “quiet and dark” cockpit philosophy that offers full situational awareness and automation for a low workload, enabled the certification for single-pilot operation. The Phenom 100’s Prodigy® flight deck, based on the acclaimed Garmin G1000 avionics suite, was also certified.

The Prodigy® flight deck features three interchangeable 12-inch displays – two Primary Flight Displays (PFD) and one Multi-Function Display (MFD). The system integrates all primary flight, navigation, communication, terrain, traffic, weather, engine instrumentation, and crew-alert data, and presents the composite information on these three brilliant, sunlight-readable color high definition screens.

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Big week for Azul Linhas Aereas, Brazil's newest airline

Last Friday Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras S.A., Brazil's newest airline, took delivery of its first Embraer 195 jet aircraft. Three days later, on Dec. 15, 2008, the fledgling domestic carrier inaugurated service with flights between three cities: Campinas (Viracopos Airport), Salvador de Bahia, and Porto Alegre. Azul is the fourth airline founded by former JetBlue chairman David Neeleman.

Azul began its operations this week with a fleet of three Embraer 195 and two Embraer 190 aircraft (with 118 and 106 seats, respectively). Another three airplanes will be added next month.

According to information provided by Azul, the carrier has a total of 78 Embraer jets on order. Azul will grow in 2009 to serve 25 cities throughout Brazil with 16 aircraft. The airline will continue to receive an additional jet every month for three years to operate 36 aircraft by the end of 2011.

"Having been born in Brazil, it's so exciting to be able to start a new airline in my other home," Mr. Neeleman said. "Brazil is the second largest economy in the Americas -- and 10th in the world -- but only about 5 percent of Brazilians currently fly given the high cost of domestic travel."

"There is tremendous unsatisfied leisure demand for airline seats because fares are too high. As a result, 150 million people travel by long distance bus," he added. "And business travelers suffer circuitous routings and lack of frequency. With only 40 percent fewer seats per aircraft, we can provide more frequent and direct service in markets that our competition can't economically serve."

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JetBlue Embraer E190 sets a world performance record

Yesterday USA Today's Ben Mutzabaugh wrote a brief article in his Today in the Sky Blog about the final flight of the McCain-Palin campaign plane chartered from JetBlue. The plane is an Embraer E190 like the one in the photo at right -- except that it bore a McCain-Palin logo on its fuselage for the duration of its charter.

The aircraft was used to shuttle Sarah Palin around to 29 different states during the recent election campaign. Its last official mission was to return Gov. Palin and her family to Anchorage on the day after the election. Then yesterday, the crew ferried the aircraft from Anchorage back to JetBlue's home base in New York, with a stop in Buffalo.

As I read that last bit, I remember thinking, "Anchorage to Buffalo nonstop? Hmm, that sounds like quite a long flight for an E190."

It was. In fact, the flight made aviation history.

Today Ben Mutzabaugh did a follow-up story about the JetBlue E190 flight in USA Today. Here is an excerpt:

In a message to employees on the company's intranet, JetBlue says "aircraft 239, the McCain-Palin charter jet, set a new record by jetting from Anchorage, to Buffalo nonstop. At 2,694 nautical miles, this was the longest E190 flight ever operated by any airline on the planet!"

"Flight 4500 took off from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport at 11:23 a.m. (Alaska time) and landed some 6 hours and 11 minutes later, at 9:34 p.m. (ET), at Buffalo Niagara International Airport. This ultra-long segment was the first leg of the aircraft's return to JFK and its eventual return to scheduled service in the coming days," JetBlue adds on its intranet.

I checked the JetBlue website for a press release about this feat: nothing.

I checked the Embraer website for performance information about the E190. It said that the E190 "has a range of 2,400 nm (4,445 km) and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.82," but that was computed for a long range cruise payload of 98 passengers @ 220lb (100kg). Yesterday's record flight was a ferry flight, of course, so it had no such payload. Mutzabaugh's article mentioned that JetBlue credited "a strong tailwind" and the fact that plane was not weighed down by passengers and luggage.

Still, the duration and distance of JetBlue Flight 4500 was impressive, don't you think? Kudos to the unnamed crew members who flew that E190 into the aviation record books on November 6, 2008.

Next week the aircraft will have its McCain-Palin logo removed and replaced with the standard JetBlue logo and livery, after which it will be returned to regular service.

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To ERJ drivers: Watch where you put your foot!

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) to call attention to "the possibility that a pilot of an Embraer Legacy, EMB-135 or -145 (sometimes called EMB-140 in marketing literature) might inadvertently change VHF radio frequencies or place the ATC transponder into standby mode during flight."

Quoting from FAA-SAFO 07005, issued on July 3, 2007:

Background: During an investigation the FAA discovered that crewmembers who had the simple habit of placing their shoe on the footrest just below the instrument panel could inadvertently put the ATC transponder into standby mode, or change radio frequencies without the crew's awareness.

Further, they found that pilots might not notice the corresponding indication on the Pilot Flight Display due to the white colored letters, which are not as noticeable as differently colored caution or warning indications.

Switching a transponder with a functioning traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) to standby mode renders the TCAS ineffective, and is therefore one of the most serious consequences of a pilot’s foot inadvertently contacting the radio management unit. Two airplanes equipped with TCAS would fail to see each other if they were on a collision course. Pilots could presume TCAS was operating normally if they failed to notice the subtle TCAS OFF indication on the Pilot Flight Display.

Recommended Action: Managers of part 142 training centers where pilot training on the Embraer Legacy, EMB-135, and EMB-145 is conducted should ensure that their trainers caution pilots of this latent hazard and emphasize the importance of being careful when using the footrests provided.

Similarly, directors of safety, directors of operations, trainers, and check airmen for operators flying any of these Embraer models should immediately make this hazard known to their pilots and should make sure that it is addressed in their training programs, especially during flight training, supervised operating experience, and line checks.

Any questions regarding the content of this SAFO should be directed to the Air Transportation Division, AFS-200, at (202) 267-8116.

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FAA: Emergency airworthiness directive for ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 aircraft

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an emergency airworthiness directive (AD) for Embraer Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 aircraft.  The AD resulted from "a report indicating that the aft cargo door of a Model ERJ 190 airplane opened in flight just after departure, and from a report indicating that a Model ERJ 170 airplane dispatched with an unsecured forward cargo door."

The intention of the AD is to prevent a cargo door from opening during flight, which could lead to structural failure or loss of control of the aircraft.

The AD 2007-06-53 instructs operators of ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 aircraft to carry out the following immediate action:

Before each flight after closing the cargo doors, verify that the forward and aft cargo doors are closed flush with the fuselage skin, and that all 4 latched and locked indicators at the bottom of each door are green.

Persons qualified to do this verification are mechanics and flight crew members.

If it cannot be verified that both doors are closed flush with the fuselage skin, and that all 4 latched and locked indicators at the bottom of each door are green, repair before further flight.

The above preflight verification of correct door closure should be performed before every flight -- but not to exceed 150 cycles -- pending accomplishment of a more detailed inspection described in the AD.

Specifically, the AD requires "a detailed inspection of the forward and aft cargo doors to detect signs of interference between the lock handle and the aft edge liner assembly" and "a detailed inspection for signs of damage of the lateral roller fitting on the forward and aft cargo door frames at the fuselage."

Click here to read the entire FAA Emergency Airworthiness Directive, AD 2007-06-53.

Click here for a printable ('pdf') version of AD 2007-06-53.