Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has confirmed that it successfully completed the first flight of its E190 E-Freighter conversion aircraft in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
The E190 E-Freighter conversion aircraft took flight in Brazil for the first time on April 4, 2024, for around two hours in which a complete evaluation of the model was carried out.
The first flight is part of a series of evaluations that Embraer is conducting before the E-Freighter jets enter into operation.
The aircraft has already been successful in both ground pressurization and cargo loading tests.
“The E-Freighter program opens a new business opportunity for Embraer, meeting e-commerce’s growing global demand for cargo transport and matching the high-tech E-Jets family to an unbeatable operational performance,” Francisco Gomes Neto, President and CEO of Embraer, said. “We are very pleased with E190F’s and E195F’s fast progress during the testing period. These jets will be important tools for our customers and allow them to work with more agile and decentralized deliveries.”
E-Jets converted to freighters will have over 50% more volume capacity, three times the range of large cargo turboprops, and up to 30% lower operating costs than narrowbodies.
If combining capacity under the floor and main deck, the maximum structural payload is 13,500 kg for the E190F and 14,300 kg for the E195F.
On December 1, 2023, the first completed E-Freighter conversion was unveiled at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos after the program was launched in July 2022.
Take a look at our newest member of the E-Jet Family, the E-Freighter! Here’s how we converted an E190 from all-passenger to all-cargo configuration.#EFreighter #AccelerateOpportunity #Embraer #WeAreEmbraer #EmbraerStories pic.twitter.com/7c1B3VPZkt
— Embraer (@embraer) November 30, 2023
Brazilian airline Azul did not wait for Embraer’s move and transformed several of its E190s into freighters in 2021 in collaboration with engineering firm LHColus Technologia, also from Brazil.
The aircraft used by Embraer for the first test flight belongs to Regional One, a leasing company from the United States.
Among Embraer’s customers for the new freighter are Irish lessor Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC) and Lanzhou Aviation Industry Development Group.