Air Transport

Embraer hopes to operate its E-170 regional jet on London City airport's steep approaches without special drag-inducing modifications, says senior vice-president corporate aviation Luis Carlos Affonso. The aircraft could operate at least 925km (500nm) from the airport's short runway with a full payload, he adds.

The manufacturer has dropped trials with a specially fitted ventral speedbrake on the twinjet (Flight International, 10-16 May). Affonso says that Embraer believes it can use the E-170's upper-wing spoilers to meet the requirements to be certificated for the 5.5° glideslope, explaining: "Timing has been extended, so we do not have to adopt the ventral spoiler without considering other possibilities."