The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted Type Certification to the Embrear E-Jet family paving the way for the Brazilian aircraft maker to offer the E190, E195 and the latest-generation E195-E2 to Indian airlines.
The certification comes at a time when India is witnessing rapid growth in regional air travel under the government’s UDAN scheme, with airlines increasingly looking for aircraft that can profitably connect smaller cities. Embraer believes its E-Jets can bridge the gap between turboprops and larger narrowbody aircraft, opening up routes that are currently uneconomical to operate.
Calling the certification a significant milestone, Raul Villaron, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing and Head of Asia Pacific for Commercial Aviation at Embraer, said the approval would strengthen regional connectivity in India.
“The DGCA certification is an important step towards expanding regional connectivity in India. The E-Jets combine strong operating economics, performance and passenger comfort, making them well suited to support the Government’s UDAN vision and reshape regional aviation across the country,” he said.
The certification includes the E195-E2, which Embraer describes as the world’s quietest and most fuel-efficient small narrowbody aircraft. The jet features lower fuel burn and operating costs, while offering a two-by-two cabin layout with no middle seats, larger overhead bins and improved passenger amenities.
The company is currently in discussions with Indian airlines for potential orders of up to 200 aircraft, signalling its long-term ambitions in one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets.
According to Adity Shekhar, Regional Vice President, Sales at Embraer, the aircraft is designed to serve markets that fall between the capabilities of turboprops and larger single-aisle jets.
“The E-Jets can operate routes that are uneconomical for larger narrowbody aircraft yet beyond the range of turboprops. With endurance of up to seven hours and the ability to operate from airports with short runways and limited pavement strength, they can help airlines connect underserved markets and launch new regional routes,” she said.
Embraer already has a foothold in India through the smaller E175, which is certified for operations and is flown by Star Air. The Company is in talks with various Indian carriers for orders of upto 200 aircraft including the E190 E2 variants.
Earlier this year, the company and Adani Defence & Aerospace expanded their partnership to explore setting up a final assembly line for the E175 in India under the Regional Transport Aircraft programme. Globally, the E-Jets programme has delivered more than 1,900 aircraft to over 80 airlines across 50 countries. Embraer currently has nearly 50 aircraft operating in India across commercial, defence and business aviation segments, with Star Air alone operating 11 Embraer E175 and ERJ145 aircraft.