Embraer demonstrated the steep-approach capabilities of its E195-E2 to London City Airport with a successful first-ever landing of the type at the downtown airport on July 22. The airframer hopes to certify the type for LCY operations later this year. Embraer E195-E2 makes an entrance at London City Airport.
Once this has been done, the E195-E2 will be the biggest aircraft type that is allowed to operate in the airport in the London Docklands area. The E190-E2 already operates into LCY after demonstrating its capabilities exactly four years ago after the 2018 Farnborough Airshow but was certified only in September 2021.
On Friday, the aircraft with TechLion livery flew in from Farnborough, where she has been on static display all week. After a 48 minutes flight that took her around Eastbourne and back to London, the Embraer landed there at 10.55 am local time. After a brief stop, the aircraft continued to Santa Maria for a night-over, before continuing to the US on Saturday.
London City Airport requires steep approaches and steep take-offs to get clear from any areas that could impose a safety risk, as well as reduce noise pollution for neighbors. These requirements limited operations to just a few aircraft types. Most airlines flying into LCY use the Embraer E190-E1, including British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, and LOT.
SWISS is an exception and operates its own flights into LCY with the Airbus A220-100 since August 2017. Partner airline Helvetic uses the E190-E2 for its own and codeshare flights. Helvetic also has a fleet of four E195-E2s. It is most likely that the carrier will include the larger version with 146 seats into its operations in London City once the type is certified. KLM Cityhopper intends to be the first airline to operate the largest E2-version to LCY.
The airport’s CEO, Alison Fitzgerald, said in an Embraer media statement: “The arrival of the E195-E2 signals that we are on the cusp of welcoming more new generation aircraft that provide world-class environmental performance, carry more passengers, and have the potential to connect this airport with more global markets. This moment also represents the strength of the partnership we have with Embraer, and together, we are pushing the envelope of what’s possible at this airport, as at 146 seats and a wingspan of 35 meters, it will be comfortably the largest aircraft to operate from LCY.”
