Air International 1985-02
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??? - Embraer ... The Brazilian Phenomenon
The EMB-326GB Xavante was a major Embraer programme for almost a dozen years, five of the 10 examples exported to Paraguay being seen below at Sao Jose dos Campos prior to delivery. A total of 182 Xavantes was assembled by Embraer.
An intriguing echelon formation of the representatives of the current Sao Jose dos Campos product range, with the EMB-312 Tucano in the foreground, the EMB-121 Xingu, the EMB-110 Bandeirante, and, furthermost from the camera, the EMB-120 Brasilia. Of these, the Xingu is now available only against special orders and the Brasilia is just coming on stream.
With some 16 months of Brazilian service behind it, operating with success in Honduras and with the first examples delivered recently to Iraq, the Tucano can already be adjudged another Embraer success, and production tempo will increase appreciably during the course of this year.
A pair of Embraer Brasilia regional airliners - the second (nearest the camera) and first aircraft - fly over Brazilian countryside close to the Embraer plant at Sao Jose dos Campos.
The second prototype Brasilia is eventually to be passed to the Forca Aerea Brasileira for evaluation, the Service having a requirement for 24 aircraft of this type for personnel and freight transportation tasks. Work on maritime surveillance and mini-AEW versions is currently in progress in the Embraer drawing office.
The EMB-110P1A, distinguished by its dihedral tailplane is the current production version of the Bandeirante for which the market is still quite buoyant after a dozen years of production of successive versions.
The dedicated maritime surveillance version of the Bandeirante had logged 20,000 accident-free flight hours with the 7° Grupo de Aviacao by last year.
The EMB-201A, the standard version of the Ipanema agricultural monoplane for the past eight years, is now produced entirely by Embraer's Neiva subsidiary.
The 500th Ipanema was recently delivered to Aeropel-Aero Aplicacoes Agricolas at Sao Borja. In addition to its agricultural role, the Ipanema fulfils that of glider tug with the Forca Aerea Brasileira under the designation U-19.
The N-821 Caraja, a turboprop-powered derivative of the Navajo Chieftain, is another Neiva programme, production of this model now coming up to one monthly.