Embraer's KC-390 makes stopover in New Zealand as part of world tour
Auckland, New Zealand, 14 July 2017 – The Embraer KC-390, a new generation multi-mission jet aircraft, made stopovers in Auckland International Airport and
the RNZAF Base Auckland earlier this week as part of a demonstration tour, following the recent Paris Air Show.
The KC-390 was part of the Request for Information process for the Future Air Mobility Capability programme. The 2016
Defence Capability Plan highlighted the need for the replacement of transport and cargo aircraft.
The KC-390 sets new standards in its category due to its increased operational capabilities and reduced operating costs.
It is capable of performing a variety of missions such as Airlift, Aerial Refueling, Search & Rescue and Special
Operations Support Missions such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
The aircraft is capable of airlifting up to 26 metric tons of cargo or 80 fully equipped troops, fly at speeds up to
Mach 0.8 and operate in hostile areas from un-prepared runways. This twin jet uses full fly-by-wire flight controls and
state-of-the-art avionics and self-protection systems while presenting the lowest life-cycle cost of the market segment.
Advanced and innovative training solutions are also in the core concept of the KC-390 project.
KC-390 progresses along its flight test campaign
Since the start of the flight test campaign, in October 2015, the KC-390 prototypes have presented a very high
availability, logging an unprecedented flight rate in the programme, with more than 1100 flight hours accumulated.
The programme has covered the full flight envelope of the aircraft reaching cruise speed of Mach .80 and operational
ceiling of 36,000 feet, performing daily flights with prototypes 001 and 002.
Other milestones include a general assessment of its systems, performance and flying qualities, fly-by-wire in final
mode, sidesticks linked and active, conclusion of water spray tests and air to air refueling dry contact, as well as
certification flights with both Brazilian military and civil airworthiness authorities.
The flight test schedule for the rest of 2017 includes systems certification tests, artificial ice assessment,
cross-wind tests and aerial refueling assessment.
Embraer expects to receive the initial operational capability declaration (IOC) in the second half of 2017 and the
certification of the final operational capability (FOC), in the second half of 2018.
The Brazilian Air Force has ordered 28 KC-390s and the first delivery is scheduled for the first half of 2018.
Embraer’s aircraft presence in New Zealand
Embraer is one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers with businesses in commercial and executive aviation,
defense & security. Embraer’s first aircraft, the EMB110 Bandeirante operated in New Zealand in the early 1980s with an operator,
then known as Eagle Air.
Since the Bandeirante, Embraer has produced numerous new aircraft including the E-Jets family of commercial jets of
which are 1,300 units, operated by 70 airlines in 50 countries. The second generation E-Jets E2 family of commercial
jets are due to enter into service from 2018 onwards. Embraer Executive Jets has a portfolio of six aircraft, from the
entry level Phenom 100E to the ultra large Lineage 1000E. There are more than 1000 executive jets operating globally.
Notes to editor
About Embraer
Embraer is a global company headquartered in Brazil with businesses in commercial and executive aviation, defense & security. The company designs, develops, manufactures and markets aircraft and systems, providing customer support and
services.
Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 8,000 aircraft. About every 10 seconds an aircraft
manufactured by Embraer takes off somewhere in the world, transporting over 145 million passengers a year.
Embraer is the leading manufacturer of commercial jets up to 130 seats. The company maintains industrial units, offices,
service and parts distribution centers, among other activities, across the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe.
For more information about the KC-390, please visit www.kc-390.com
ENDS