Transport Canada (TC) granted type certificates to the Embraer E190-E2 and the E195-E2, opening up the possibility for Canadian airlines to register and operate the type.
The Canadian authority provided the type certificate to the two aircraft several years after the United States’ Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Europe’s European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) did so in 2019. The Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) certified the E190-E2 and E195-E2 in 2018.
Delivering the E2 to Porter Airlines
Despite the recent certification of the E2s in Canada, Embraer currently has only amassed a single customer in the country for the second-generation of its regional jets.
Embraer indicated that the first E195-E2 will be delivered to Porter Airlines in the coming days at the manufacturer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. In total, the Canadian carrier has ordered 50 E195-E2 aircraft, with the option to firm up 50 more. At list prices, the total order (including options) is valued at $7.38 billion at list prices, according to the manufacturer.
Porter Airlines’ newest E195-E2 will be the first aircraft of the type to be operated in North America. The only airline to fly any type of Embraer jet is Air Canada Express with 25 Embraer E175s, which are operated by Jazz Aviation.
Embraer delayed the entry into service date of the E175-E2 until 2027 in February 2022.
Nevertheless, Porter Airlines, which was established in 2006, will be expanding its current fleet of 29 De Havilland Canada Dash-8 Q400 aircraft. Due to the limitations at its main hub, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) – which is unable to welcome jet-powered aircraft due to noise level regulations – the E195-E2s will operate from another Toronto airport, Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
On December 8, 2022, the carrier indicated that it would begin flying the Embraer jets between YYZ and three other Canadian airports, namely Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Ottawa International Airport (YOW), and Montreal Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The services will start on February 1, 2023, apart from flights between YYZ and YVR which will begin on February 7, 2023.
“Porter’s introduction of the E195-E2 provides the ability to operate throughout North America, including the west coast, better positioning us to serve the needs of many more business and leisure passengers. This investment introduces a new level of thoughtful service, unmatched by any other airline in North America,” said Michael Deluce, CEO of Porter Airlines, at the time of announcing the E195-E2’s first destinations on the carrier’s network.