BA CityFlyer Receives First E-Jet for London City Airport Ops

Aircraft Airlines Airports September 4, 2009 Staff

British Airways has received the first of six Embraer 170 regional jets it has on order, along with five larger Embraer 190s.

British Airways has received the first of six Embraer 170 regional jets it has on order.

The airline took delivery of the aircraft on September 3 at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos in Brazil.

Configured with 76 seats in a single-class layout, the aircraft will be operated from the 4,984-foot-runway, steep-approach London City Airport by BA CityFlyer, a wholly owned regional BA subsidiary operating routes within the UK and to Europe.

British Airways’ order for Embraer E-Jets was announced in December 2008. It includes firm orders for six Embraer 170s and five larger Embraer 190 jets, plus options for another three E-Jets.

“This first delivery to British Airways is a remarkable milestone that makes us particularly proud, since it’s the last of the four largest European airlines to operate the E-Jets,” says Mauro Kern, Embraer’s executive vice president, airline market. “We are absolutely delighted to see our E-Jets flying in the colors of such an internationally renowned, world-class airline, operating out of the U.K.’s premier business airport.”

British Airways subsidiary BA CityFlyer has ordered six Embraer 170s and five Embraer 190s, with options on three more E-Jets. This photograph is of BA CityFlyer's first Embraer 170 just prior to delivery on September 3, 2009

The Embraer 170 obtained steep-approach certification to operate at London City Airport in June 2007. The steep approach uses a software solution developed within the existing fly-by-wire system that Embraer says improves flight quality and control, as well as reducing pilot workload, weight and maintenance costs. The Embraer 190 has not yet been certificated for steep-approach landings at London City Airport but Embraer is working on achieving this by the time the airline receives its first Embraer 190.

The E-Jet will be “the backbone of the modernization of our fleet,” says Peter Simpson, managing director of BA CityFlyer. “The Embraer 170 will enter service very soon, with the Embraer 190 arriving early next year.”

As of June 30, Embraer had logged firm orders for 882 aircraft of the E-Jet family (of which there are four basic versions: the Embraer 170, 175, 190 and 195) and options for 794 more. With nearly 600 aircraft delivered to date, the family has a base of 53 operators in 35 countries, on five continents. The aircraft delivered to date have accumulated more that 2.9 million flight hours and have transported more than 130 million passengers.

E-Jets have a maximum cruising speed of Mach 0.82, can fly at 41,000 feet (12,500 meters), and have ranges of up to 2,400 nautical miles (4,448 km).