The European Aviation Safety Agency has presented Embraer with a type certificate for its E-195 airliner, the largest airplane in its stable and the last member of the company’s flagship E-Jet family. The approval comes a little more than two weeks after Brazil’s new certification authority granted its approval and clears the way for deliveries to the 195’s first European operator, FlyBE.  

Fuel burn figures for the final configuration showed that the airplane uses 3 percent less fuel than originally projected. Virtually identical to the smaller Embraer 190 except for a 7-foot, 11-inch-long fuselage plug and related systems modifications, the pair of 195 prototypes needed to fly for just 475 hours to satisfy testing requirements.

Scheduled to take delivery of its first 195 this month, Exeter, UK-based FlyBE operates 15 BAe 146/Avro RJs and some 30 of 52 Q400s on firm order. The airline plans to completely decommission its fleet of British quadjets in favor of 14 of the Brazilian twins, each configured in a high-density, 118-seat layout. The $470 million contract calls for delivery of one airplane a month until November of next year and includes options for another 12 copies. BAe 146 replacement targets cover most of FlyBE’s international route map, which includes cities in Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland and Austria.

Meanwhile, the Embraer 190 has formally started its campaign for steep approach approval for operation into London City Airport. Embraer expects to gain certification for LCY by the end of 2008. Meanwhile, the 70-seat Embraer 170 continues to undergo testing for LCY certification, which Embraer expects it will get by the end of this year.