Air TransportEmbraer E190-E2 and E195-E2 Gain Certification in South Africa
Embraer’s E-Jets E2 family has reached another milestone in its global expansion. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has granted Type Acceptance Certification for the E190-E2 and E195-E2, paving the way for the new-generation regional jets to enter service in the country.
“This certification opens new opportunities for the aircraft, which has already attained significant success across the world,” said Stephan Hannemann, Senior Vice President for Africa and Middle East at Embraer Commercial Aviation. “Passengers can now look forward to experiencing the E2’s class-leading comfort very soon.”
The approval comes at a pivotal time for South Africa’s aviation market. Airlink, the nation’s largest privately owned airline, has finalized a lease agreement with Azorra for 10 Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. The first delivery is expected later this year, with the full fleet scheduled to arrive by 2027. Configured to seat up to 136 passengers, the aircraft will enhance connectivity on high-density and emerging routes across sub-Saharan Africa.
“With Embraer firmly established as the market leader in the up to 150 seat segment in Africa, this region is a key focus for us,” said Arjan Meijer, President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation. “As a long-standing Embraer customer, it’s great that Airlink will soon be South Africa’s first E2 operator. This aircraft is the most efficient single-aisle jet and is perfectly suited to support Airlink’s ambitious growth plans across Southern Africa.”
Airlink’s CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht, highlighted the operational benefits: “South Africa’s type acceptance of the latest generation Embraer E195-E2 and its Pratt & Whitney engines by the SACAA are important milestones as we prepare to receive and take them into service. The E2’s additional capacity and range will let Airlink respond to increased demand on some of our most popular routes and extend our destination network so that we can provide convenient connections for customers in new markets.”
Embraer emphasizes that the E190-E2 and E195-E2 are the most fuel-efficient single-aisle aircraft in operation today, delivering up to 29% better efficiency per seat than their predecessors. Together with Pratt & Whitney’s PW1900G engines, also certified by SACAA, the E2 family is set to play a pivotal role in shaping South Africa’s aviation landscape.
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Ricardo Meier
Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.
