Air Canada took delivery this Monday, December 12, of its first of 45 Embraer 190s, becoming the first airline in North America to receive two different E-Jet models. Air Canada currently operates 13 Embraer 175s, fully benefiting from the advantages of E-Jet family commonality.
Air Canada’s Embraer 190s are configured with nine seats in Executive Class and 84 in Hospitality Class. Deliveries of these 93-seaters should be concluded in the fourth quarter of 2007.
The carrier’s Embraer 175s are configured with nine Executive Class and 64 Hospitality Class seats, and deliveries of these 73-seaters will be concluded in January 2006.
"Air Canada honored us in December 2003 signing a commercial proposal to acquire the Embraer 190, a commitment which later was extended to include the purchase of 15 Embraer 175s," said Frederico Fleury Curado, Executive Vice-President, Airline Market.
"Having these two E-Jet types – the 73-seat Embraer 175 and the 93-seat Embraer 190 – will allow Air Canada to significantly increase its operational flexibility, tailoring aircraft size to market demand without the typical training and logistical transition costs."
Like the Embraer 175s, Air Canada’s Embraer 190s will be equipped with seat-back video screens. The on-board in-flight entertainment system features both audio and video on demand programming.
Familiarization with the new aircraft variant for Air Canada’s flight crew members transitioning from one model will be through self-instruction. The use of the common computer-based training for the Embraer 170/190 reduces the amount of ground training necessary and eliminates additional use of flight simulators.
Customers in the Americas and Europe began operating Embraer 170/190 aircraft in March 2004. To date, Embraer has delivered over 100 E-Jets to airlines worldwide. The Embraer 190 is in service with JetBlue Airways of the U.S. and Copa Airlines of Panama.
As of September 30, 2005, the E-Jets family had logged 427 firm orders and 383 options.
Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica – www.embraer.com.br