A third E190-E2 aircraft has joined Embraer’s three-month-old flight test programme.
The maiden flight on 27 August in São José dos Campos comes after the first two prototypes accumulated more than 150 flight hours in flight test, including making an appearance at the Farnborough air show in mid-July.
The third prototype is expected to focus on evaluating how the aircraft flies in icing conditions and other flying qualities, Embraer says.
Embraer also has completed about 21,000 hours of tests in ground-based rigs, including an “iron bird” simulator of the flight control system.
The E190-E2 represents Embraer’s first application of a full fly-by-wire system in a commercial airliner. Embraer previously integrated a full fly-by-wire system in the Legacy 500 and 450 business jets, as well as the KC-390 tanker-transport.
Embraer is also replacing the wing the of the original E190 and installing the Pratt & Whitney PW1900G geared turbofan in the second-generation regional jet.
The E190-E2 is scheduled to enter service in 2018, followed a year later by the stretched E195-E2. The stretched E175-E2 would enter service in 2020 with PW1700G engines.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
