First deliveries now planned for November as software issues set back certification
Certification of the Embraer 170 has been pushed back by three months because of software delays with the 70-seat regional jet's Honeywell Primus Epic integrated avionics. First deliveries to Alitalia Express, originally set for August, are planned for November. Service entry could slip into next year.
Because of the 170 delay, and deferral of ERJ-145 regional jet and Legacy business jet deliveries, Embraer has reduced its delivery forecast for the year to 110 aircraft, from 132. The Brazilian manufacturer, which at the show announced an order from an undisclosed Latin American customer for 10 Embraer 190s, plus 20 options, has increased its 2004 forecast to 160 aircraft, from 136, due to reprogramming of ERJ-145 deliveries and demand for the 170.
Software delays have forced Embraer to abandon plans for basic certification of the 170 in August, followed in November by full certification with Category 2 autopilot, autothrottle, windshear guidance and additional flap settings. Alitalia will delay accepting the aircraft until the full functionality is approved, to avoid crew retraining costs. Embraer will build 12 aircraft this year, and deliver six to US Airways, but negotiations with Alitalia continue.
The delay does not affect the larger Embraer 175, which flew for the first time on 14 June and is scheduled for certification in the third quarter of next year. The recently revised schedule for the stretched Embraer 190/195 is also unaffected, with the 190 planned for certification in the third quarter of 2005 followed a year later by the larger 195.
Honeywell is responsible for the Embraer 170/190 family's digital avionics, integrated utilities and fly-by-wire flight controls. The original plan for "dual path" certification was revised after discussions with Alitalia, which became launch operator after Swiss deferred its deliveries by a year, says Vicki Panhuise, vice-president programmes, Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Systems.
The dual-path approach was intended to reduce the risk in certificating the "highly integrated" Primus Epic. "Alitalia was more comfortable with a single-path certification process that introduces all the functionality at the same time and which is better for revenue service," says Panhuise. "Alitalia really wants Cat 2."
Source: Flight International
