Hi One Step Beyond
Thanks for your reply. I guess I sound like a bit of a twit as the biggest thing I have flown myself is a Seneca. However it was asked more out of academic interest.
I remember being somewhat incredulous a few years back when I heard that South African Airlink were operating the Embraer135 from Cape Town to Windhoek Eros (now closed to commercial traffic). Windhoek Eros is 5500ftAMSL, RWY length 1800m, with summer time temps regularly around the 30C mark. Apparently take off performance wasn't a problem neither was there a weight penalty. I do believe the ERJ135s operated by Airlink were fitted with ERJ145 engines which according Embraer would provide an extra 1500lbs thrust. Still I would have thought the 146/RJ would have been able to match and better the ERJ in the area of STOL performance.