The Embraer 170 has received certification from Brazilian aviation authority CTA and from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to perform Category IIIa (autolanding) operations.

The certification came on the eve of Asian Aerospace, where Embraer will showcase the E-170 for the first time in the region.

CAT IIIa autolanding requires an autopilot system to land the aircraft at low visibility (600ft/200m runway visual range) and in adverse weather conditions. The autolanding function was also certificated for CAT I and CAT II operational conditions, contributing to the reduction of pilot workload.

At Asian Aerospace, Embraer will showcase the E-170 in the flying displays and with a special media flight to introduce the aircraft to the Asian aviation community.

The Singapore show will also be the official kick-off of the Asia-Pacific demonstration tour of the E-170. Immediately after the event, Embraer will embark on a 21-city tour, demonstrating the aircraft to 46 airlines across the region.

The tour will cover 12 countries and is a second landmark in 2006. On 9 February, Embraer celebrated the roll-out of the newest member of the family, the Embraer 190.

The E-170/190 family comprises the 170, 175, 190 and 195, seating respectively up to 78, 86, 108 and 118 passengers.

With 440 firm orders and 362 options for the aircraft, Embraer believes it is well placed to make further advances in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm says that, with the ERJ family, the product range is “ideally suited” to develop new markets with low-density demand, to upgrade from turboprop services, to complement narrowbody jet services, to develop hub feeding and to right-size low load factor narrowbody markets – “all operational scenarios becoming more and more common Asia Pacific”.

Source: Flight Daily News