The E195-E2, registration PR-ZIQ, which was on display at the Farnborough Airshow this week, made the first landing of the Embraer model at London City Airport, in the British capital.
With its short runway and located in the urban sprawl of London, the airport is one of the most restricted in the world. Only smaller aircraft capable of steeper approaches are certified to operate at the site, hence the importance of this Friday’s event.
The LCY (airport code) runway measures just 1,508 meters in length and has descent angles of up to 5.5 degrees.
According to Embraer, the E195-E2, the largest member of the regional jet family, performed some ground handling tests. The Brazilian manufacturer expects to certify the operation of the aircraft by the end of this year, paving the way for scheduled flights in 2023 to be carried out with KLM Cityhopper.
“London City feels like home for Embraer. It’s a great airport, not just because it’s fast and efficient for passengers to travel through, but because its unique challenges as an airfield demonstrate the excellent performance of our E-Jets,” said Arjan Meijer, President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation.
“This moment also represents the strength of the partnership we have with Embraer, and together, we are pushing the envelope of what’s possible at this airport, as at 146 seats and a wingspan of 35 metres, it will be comfortably the largest aircraft to operate from LCY,” said Alison FitzGerald, director of operations at London City Airport.
Currently, 85% of the flights operating in London City are carried out by Embraer aircraft, including the E190-E2, which since September last year operated routes with Helvetic Airways in London.
