The Brazilian aerospace major Embraer was founded in 1969 with assistance from the Government of Brazil. This company aspired to transform Brazil into a country which possessed the latest technology in the domain of aeronautics and ensure that its products reached far into the world to serve the aviation sector. Since then it has not looked back. So far, Embraer has put more than 8,000 aircraft in the sky. Its present staff of more than 18,000 employees is constantly creating new designs, applying imaginative engineering and technology to create excellent aircraft that perform as per the needs of the aviation sector. It is precisely this effort to challenge the status quo, create new and better products that outperform its competition that has induced Embraer to come up with commercial and executive aviation aircraft in addition to defence and security equipment. The latest addition to its aviation show window is the E–Jet E2 series of passenger aircraft.

Embraer has brought in better fuel efficiency in these aircraft through the use of clever technologies and smart materials

Embraer has always kept its customer’s financial bottom and top lines in mind while providing better aircraft. After its success with the ERJ, followed by the E–Jet series, Embraer had now brought in, its latest, state-of-the-art, E-Jet E2 series. The company appropriately nicknamed this series as the “Profit Hunter Family”. The E-Jet E2 family consists of three different variants of aircraft. They are E-175 E2, E-190 E2 and E-195 E2 versions. Before one takes a look at the differences between these three variants, it is pertinent to know the improvements in the technology of the E2 series which have taken place over their predecessors.

GREEN AIRCRAFT

The environmental pollution’s footprint reduction of E-Jet E2 series of Embraer aircraft has been possible with the incorporation of Pratt & Whitney Pure Power Geared Turbofan Engines which have improved engine efficiency. This is in addition to adopting a better wing design and the use of smart materials. The engine under reference provides more power for every unit of Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) consumed. Hence, it is definitely more effective in terms of controlling air pollution vis-a-vis its predecessors. The Kyoto Protocol and other multilateral/multinational conventions of the United Nations have made it necessary to reduce the levels of noise and carbon dioxide (CO2) signatures or output for all aircraft. Accordingly, Embraer has undertaken significant technological innovations to reduce the net output of carbon dioxide and noise pollutants which are now in conformity with the global trend of providing cleaner air travel.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE E-JET E2 SERIES AIRCRAFT

Design Smart: Embraer has brought in better fuel efficiency in these aircraft through the use of clever technologies and smart materials. They have used realtime, advanced diagnostics in the cockpit that enabled the flight parameters to be measured on concurrently. This data was then quickly transferred to the maintenance network giving them advance warning to position the repair staff, spares and tools at the airport. This minimised the aircraft’s downtime, which enabled the operators to earn revenues by ensuring that the aircraft stayed more in the air than on the ground which guzzles money. The use of smart materials and a special wing shape helped Embraer to reduce emissions, noise and carbon dioxide footprints. The reduced noise, vibrations enhanced the life of the aircraft components and also lowered maintenance costs.

Experience Smart: Embraer did away with the concept of multiple aisles in an aircraft. There were no middle seats in any class. They ensured that greatest passenger comfort and maximum personal space were made available within the given diameter of the fuselage. Embraer introduced advanced in-flight connectivity that enabled the use of personal electronic devices when airborne. The improved aerodynamics reduced the noise level as also material vibrations associated with flying. This reduced the fatigue factor of passengers, crew and all those residing near the airport.

Business Smart: The E-Jet E2 offered three different designs of aircraft which varied in terms of lift capability, runway length and operating range. It also provided vibrant combinations of different sizes of seats for each category of aircraft depending on the luxury-based segmentation of customers. This enabled the airlines to choose aircraft based on cargo or passengers to be carried and the distance between various itineraries. Moreover, the seating capacity, seat design and positioning enabled the airlines to enhance revenues from discerning customers as also provide facilities to upgrade passengers in flight when luxurious seats lay idle. This enables the airlines to cement bonds with their regular customers and earn their goodwill as also ensure customer retention.

The E-Jet E2 series of aircraft have considerable commonality of components enabling the company to optimise inventory stocking through interchangeability of parts between aircraft and thereby reducing the maintenance costs of inventory. Consequently, this reduces the need for retaining diverse technicians and retraining technical manpower on different aircraft. It increases the availability of spares and technicians, the number of flight-worthy aircraft, and minimises the downtime of aircraft. All these factors reduce the cost of operations.

IMPACT

These innovations and technological developments have enabled the E-Jet E2 series to deliver a double-digit percentage reduction in fuel burn and maintenance costs. The fourth generation fly-by-wire technology has introduced fuel efficiency, reduction of maintenance cost, emissions and noise. Moreover, the reduced carbon emissions have enabled these aircraft to conform to the internationally specified carbon emission levels.

COMPARISON BETWEEN ALL E-JET E2 VARIANTS

All the E2 series jets fly at a maximum speed of 0.82 Mach and ceiling of 41,000 feet. However, they vary in terms of the runway length needed during landing and take-off, the flight range, seating capacity including seat combinations offered, commercial payloads carried by each aircraft and usable fuel onboard. The three variants of E-Jet E2 i.e. E175–E2, E190–E2 and E195–E2, have a maximum range of 3,704 km, 5,278 km and 4,819 km, commercial payloads of 10,600 kg, 13,500 kg and 16,150 kg and maximum fuel carried is 8,522 kg, 13,690 kg and 13,690 kg respectively.

The E-Jet E2 series of aircraft have considerable commonality of components enabling optimisation of inventory stocking through interchangeability of parts between aircraft

Their take-off distance ranges between 1,615m to 1,805m and their landing distance ranges between 1,215m to 1,345m. Hence, it can be seen that they can operate on different type of airports and are ideally suitable for being operationalised in conformance with the Government of India’s Regional Connectivity Scheme – UDAN, where the passenger haulage numbers are low. Fewer passengers require aircraft with less carriage capacity and low operating cost. This presents one of the biggest opportunities to deploy the E195-E2 version of Embraer under the UDAN scheme as it has a maximum capacity of 146 seats.

PASSENGER SEGMENTATION

It is one of the most interesting options for revenue maximisation and flight passenger segmentation practised by the aviation industry. The E175-E2 variant aircraft provides options to seat a maximum of eighty passengers in three different seat categories. Alternatively, this aircraft can be configured to seat 88 passengers into two different seat combinations based upon different seat size. A third variant based upon different seat sizes can also be prepared in a new aircraft that can seat ninety passengers.

The E190-E2 variant provides the option of seating 97 passengers in three different seat categories or 106 passengers in only one category of seats that are slightly larger. It also has the option of seating 114 passengers in one category of seats, but here the seats are slightly smaller when compared to the former. The E195-E2 model of Embraer concentrates on carrying more passengers. It offers a total seating capacity of 120 passengers in three unique sizebased class of seats. Alternatively, the option exists to mount 132 or 146 seats of smaller sizes.

CARGO HAULAGE

Usually, passenger airliners have additional cargo capacity that fetches revenue for the airlines. If we assume that each passenger with luggage weighs 100 kg, when one multiplies it with the maximum passenger capacity and subtracts it from the commercial payload of each category of aircraft, we get the commercial cargo payload available on an aircraft.

Accordingly, taking the maximum passenger capacity of 90, 114 and 146 for each of the three aircraft variants under discussion and multiplying the same with 100 kg per head, it amounts to an all-up passenger weight of 9,000 kg, 11,400 kg and 14,600 kg respectively. When these figures are subtracted from the above-mentioned commercial payloads that can be carried by each category of these aircraft, we arrive at a figure of 1,600 kg, 2,100 kg and 1,550 kg of additional cargo respectively for each variant of the aircraft.

Hence, it can be concluded that the E190-E2 variant of Embraer is suitable to haul perishable cargo. However, other factors such as the distance between two destinations, the discerning segmentation of passengers with different paying capacities and the runway lengths also contribute to the deciding factors as to which aircraft is to be bought by an airline and its deployment on unique itineraries. This is one of the reasons, why, Embraer calls its three variants of E-Jet E2 family as the Profit Hunters, as these can reduce expenses and enhance earnings for airlines.