History of the Embraer E2 Jets Family

After Embraer launched the next-generation E-Jets in 2013, the shares of this Brazilian aerospace manufacturer rose 5.87%, which was its highest in approximately six years. Embraer was committed to investing $1.7 billion by 2020 to overhaul the E-Jet family with aircraft with improved wings, upgraded avionics and more powerful engines. Embraer's second-generation jets would cost 15 percent more, but the aircraft would be burning at least 16% less fuel per seat, with the next-gen E-195 expected to save 23%.Photo: Valentin Hintikka | Wikimedia Commons Embraer Next-Gen Would Save Fuel with the Pure Powered Geared Engines At the start of 2013, Embraer announced that Pratt andamp; Whitney's PurePower Geared Turbofan would power the next generation of its E-Jets. The new powerplants—designated the PW1700G and PW1900G—were set to offer thrust ratings ranging from 15,000 to 22,000 pounds. The announcement came at a time when Embraer didn't know if the second-generation model of the E170—the smallest of the four variants of the Embraer E-jets- would be made. Bob Saia, Pratt andamp; Whitney's then vice president for new-generation products, said that PW1900G would share much of its core architecture with the PW1524G, the one developed for the Bombardier C Series [Note that Bombardier's clean-sheet CSeries was estimated to cost $3.3 billion.] The PW1900G, which was certified in April 2017 and entered into service a year later. It has an approximate weight of 4,800 pounds and features a 73-inch fan, delivering a high bypass ratio of up to 12:1. It is rated for a thrust range between 19,000 and 23,000 pounds. The engine's core architecture comprises a single fan, three low-pressure compressor stages, eight high-pressure compressor stages, two high-pressure turbine stages, and three low-pressure turbine stages. This exclusive powerplant for the Embraer E-Jets E2 family: Reduces fuel burn and CO2 emissions by up to 25% per seat compared with prior-generation aircraft. Cuts NO? emissions by up to 50%. Lowers noise footprint by up to 75% based on a 75 dB noise contour. Certified to operate on up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Successfully tested on 100% SAF, supporting the industry's net-zero-by-2050 goal. Utilizes a geared fan architecture that underpins future efficiency and sustainability improvements The PW1900G was rolled out in the Embraer E190E2, the first of the second-generation of the E family. [The second-generation model of the E170 didn't make the cut. PW1700G is a part of the Embraer E175E2.] Paulo Cesar Silva, president and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, said that the advanced engines coupled with better wings and avionics distinguished the E2 jets by "providing airlines with maximum efficiency gains and no compromises, while maintaining commonality with current EJets":"This makes the E2 appealing to current EJets operators…We follow a similar strategy to Boeing and Airbus by offering new generation products that hold high commonality with current generation ones, leveraging our existing extensive customer base." The E190-E2 matches the seating capacity of the earlier E190, offering configurations of 97 seats in a dual-class layout or 106 seats in an all-economy configuration. Despite the similar cabin size, the E190-E2 delivers a 400-nautical-mile range increase over the E190, enabling flights of up to 2,800 nautical miles. By the time the aircraft first took to the skies, it had recorded 640 total commitments (267 firm orders and 373 options and purchase rights) from airlines and leasing firms. Embraer's E-Jets family were leaders in the 130-seat aircraft segment, holding over 50% of the global market share.Photo: Clemens Vasters | Wikimedia Commons The Gains in Fuel Consumption Were Down to E2s Wings as well The E2 features a completely redesigned wing with the highest aspect ratio in its class and the longest wingspan for an aircraft of its size. This advanced geometry makes it the most aerodynamically efficient wing in the segment. And what's more, unlike the case with most aircraft families [for instance, the Airbus A320neo family - the A319neo, the A320neo and the A321neo- all of which have a wingspan of 117 ft 5 in (35.8 m)], Embraer had bespoke wing design for each aircraft of the E2 family, which comprised of the E175E2, E190 E2, and E195E2. In an exclusive interview with Simple Flying, Luis Carlos Affonso, Senior Vice President of Engineering, Technology and Corporate Strategy at Embraer, touched upon why a tailor-made wings for each of these aircraft was necessary: "If you go for one wing [across an aircraft family], you typically end up with an intermediate wing. It will be a bit too small for one airplane and a bit too big for another. We didn't want to compromise. We went for the optimum wing. This means we don't have more weight than is needed, and that makes our aircraft more efficient." When Embraer delivered its first E190-E2 (to Widerøe, the aircraft's launch customer) in 2018, the aircraft featured a new gull-shaped wing. It uses a raked wingtip instead of the winglets found on the E1 series. An Embraer engineer explained that the gull wing design was required to provide enough ground clearance for the larger PW1900 engines. Photo: Steve Lynes | Wikimedia CommonsA Few Other Changes in the E2 series compared to the E1 There were some commonalities between the cockpits of E1 and E2. The E2 family is equipped with Honeywell's Primus Epic 2 integrated avionics suite, an evolution of the Primus Epic system that was used on the E-Jets back then. Key upgrades included: Larger landscape-oriented displays Enhanced graphics capability A next-generation flight management system (NGFMS) Fly-by-wire integration that provides flight envelope protection and performance optimization Embraer Updated the E2 in 2024 At the Farnborough International Airshow on 23 July 2024, Embraer announced a broad package of upgrades across its commercial jet lineup, covering the E195-E2, E190-E2, and E175, as the manufacturer claimed that the upgrades "deliver a net present value of US$6million per aircraft over 15 years in cost reduction and additional revenue." The updates included the following: E195-E2 Fuel burn reduced by 2.5%, making it 12.5% more fuel-efficient than competing aircraft Maximum range increased from 2,600 nm to 3,000 nm following certification of a 62,500-kg MTOW Pratt andamp; Whitney GTF time on wing improved by 10%, lowering long-term maintenance costs Introduction of the Enhanced Takeoff System, improving payload and range from short or constrained runways Cabin optimization allows one additional row of seats in most layouts (e.g., 136 to 140 seats) New Recaro seats available, boosting comfort and long-term revenue potentialPhoto: Alexandro Dias | Wikimedia CommonsE190-E2 Fuel burn improved by 2.5%, validated through real-world airline operations Enhanced bleed-air management system reduces engine demand and improves efficiency Benefits from GTF engine durability improvements, extending time on wing Receives the same Enhanced Takeoff System, improving performance from challenging airports Cabin refinements aligned with the latest E2 interior standards E175 (E1 with E2-Inspired Upgrades) Largest upgrade since 2016, when fuel burn was reduced by 6.4% Overhead bin capacity doubled, now accommodating wheels-first carry-on bags Introduction of E2-style mood lighting and new Recaro seats Satellite connectivity added for the first time, with Ku- and Ka-band retrofit options by 2026 Avionics enhancements bring systems closer to E2 standards, including upgraded data transfer and weather radar Next-generation weather radar to add turbulence detection and predictive windshear capability