PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON
Embraer has delayed first flight of the Embraer 170 regional jet until early next month, blaming the need for more extensive software integration testing. Fairchild Dornier meanwhile plans to roll out the competing 728JET on 21 March, with the goal of flying the first prototype within two months.
The Brazilian manufacturer had hoped to have the first 170 flying by last December, after rolling out the lead test aircraft in October. Ground testing of the avionics and fly-by-wire flight control software has taken longer than anticipated, says Embraer, but it expects this to be completed shortly.
Embraer in December completed 300h of ground vibration testing of the first prototype, which it says confirmed projected dynamic and flight characteristics of the aircraft. The company plans to run the first General Electric CF34-8E engine on wing this week followed by low speed and high speed taxi tests before the first flight from S‹o Jose dos Campos.
Embraer still aims to have all six flight test aircraft flying within the first half of the year and certificate the 170 by the end of 2002 for delivery to Crossair.
Fairchild Dornier has completed structural final assembly of the first 728JET. The first CF34-8D engine has been shipped to the company's plant near Munich for installation. The company has certification set for May 2003 and delivery to launch customer Lufthansa by the following July.
Source: Flight International
