Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

Embraer KC-390 takes maiden flight

Wikiposts
Search
Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

Embraer KC-390 takes maiden flight

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 6th Feb 2015, 21:16
  #21 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Braunfels, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ken, I don't think Embraer need to have Mr B hold their hands on world wide support - they already have facilities world wide for their commercial aircraft.
Worldwide commercial support and worldwide military support are two very different things. Embraer's military support infrastructure is pretty limited. Boeing can make a big difference there. Also Boeing can provide Performance Based Logistics. Which is to say, militaries pay a fixed fee for X mission capability rate at Y utilization rate. Embraer cannot do that.
KenV is offline  
Old 6th Feb 2015, 22:45
  #22 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Here
Posts: 1,706
Received 35 Likes on 22 Posts
Originally Posted by tupungato
The aircraft looks... small on photos. Maybe because it bears similarities to Dornier 328JET (photo below) which I'm familiar with?

yep, and those big cockpit windows add to that
Davef68 is offline  
Old 7th Feb 2015, 12:46
  #23 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: netherlands
Age: 56
Posts: 769
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
KC-390

I think the Eye-brows are included in the windows.. its fly by wire so can be flown up to the envelope limits.

A main strong point of this aircraft is the height of the cabin. It can carry vehicles and helicopters that don't fit the C130. Such as Black Hawk.



And it can refuel fast jets.

I agree Embraer might have a winner here. Not super advanced but right sized and affordable. Where are Lockheed / Boeing? Apparently they waited too long.
keesje is offline  
Old 7th Feb 2015, 15:17
  #24 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London
Posts: 7,072
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"Which is to say, militaries pay a fixed fee for X mission capability rate at Y utilization rate. Embraer cannot do that."

maybe it will be cheap enough so that they don't need a rent-a-car C-17 type arrangement

I also suspect that many of the likely customers aren't that interested in actual utilisation rates - they just need to have some aircraft around to replace their earlier Hercules variants - actual useage will be low
Heathrow Harry is offline  
Old 8th Feb 2015, 23:30
  #25 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Oz
Posts: 644
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
keesje,

That (Chilean?) graphic is quite dated, it even has CFM56s instead V2500s. I wonder if they'll consider a GTF for the B model like they're doing to their E-Jet civvie range?

I can't see the KC-390 having the same short field and ramp speed performance as a C-130. And yes, it doesn't look quite right with those
oversized cockpit windows.

Does it carry cargo hold bladders when doing AAR? If not, it won't be venturing too far from home.

And any word on unit costs compared to a C-130J? It's hard to get into a J for under $100m these days.
FoxtrotAlpha18 is offline  
Old 9th Feb 2015, 10:53
  #26 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 2,087
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
I read an article that stated it can only perform a limited number of unimproved field landings due to fod / airframe ? vulnerability.


So it may be a good design in some ways it won't ever have the rugged utility
of the C130 or A400.
stilton is offline  
Old 9th Feb 2015, 14:48
  #27 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: The Sunny Side
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
So it may be a good design in some ways it won't ever have the rugged utility of the C130 or A400.
C130 - Agreed and proven.
A400M - remains to be seen.

S-D
salad-dodger is offline  
Old 9th Feb 2015, 20:53
  #28 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Braunfels, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
maybe it will be cheap enough so that they don't need a rent-a-car C-17 type arrangement
RAF owns their C-17s now. It's no longer a lease arrangement.

I also suspect that many of the likely customers aren't that interested in actual utilisation rates - they just need to have some aircraft around to replace their earlier Hercules variants - actual useage will be low
Maybe, maybe not. This is much is certain: the buyers of the C-17 have ALL bought the Boeing support package, even the ones who only bought two.
KenV is offline  
Old 9th Feb 2015, 21:00
  #29 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: New Braunfels, TX
Age: 70
Posts: 1,954
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I read an article that stated it can only perform a limited number of unimproved field landings due to fod / airframe ? vulnerability.
Two comments:

1. Only rotorcraft land at an "unimproved field". Fixed wing transports, no matter how rugged, generally land at what USAF calls "semi-prepared" fields, which is to say unpaved runways.

2. Many civil aircraft can routinely operate from unpaved fields, so it does not take any really special design features to be able to operate from unpaved fields.
KenV is offline  
Old 9th Feb 2015, 22:48
  #30 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Planet Earth
Posts: 2,087
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
It does if you want to use the aircraft again.
stilton is offline  
Old 21st Feb 2016, 01:30
  #31 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: São Paulo
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
KC-390 exceeds 100 hours of flight


Embraer said its KC-390 military transport prototype has performed more than 100 hours of flight since resumed its testing program.

The tests were resumed in October last year, following a suspension due to government budget constraints two years.

The KC-390 is a twin-engine freighter jet capable of aerial refueling. Embraer expects to receive certification in the second half of 2017.

The Brazilian Air Force plans to buy 28 aircraft of type, with deliveries starting by Embraer from 2018. Argentina, Chile, Colombia and the Czech Republic expressed interest in acquiring the plane.

"We are happy with the aircraft, which has had good availability for the tests, sometimes making two flights a day," said the vice-president of Embraer Paul Gaston Silva. "The airplane is behaving very well and we were able to cover the entire flight envelope.

"We tested the limits of speed, Mach number and altitude, and test all positions of slats, flaps and landing gear. We also made an on-board shutdown, restart with engine and APU. We were able to confirm all of our forecasts for the flight and performance qualities. "
Pardinho is offline  
Old 21st Feb 2016, 12:46
  #32 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, New York, Paris, Moscow.
Posts: 3,632
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
If they could qualify a boom system this could be an efficient way to tank our F-35B's......


glad rag is offline  
Old 21st Feb 2016, 12:50
  #33 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,795
Received 270 Likes on 109 Posts
The F-35B is intended to use the probe-and-drogue system, so why would the KC-390 need a boom system?
BEagle is offline  
Old 22nd Feb 2016, 16:24
  #34 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Texas
Age: 64
Posts: 7,188
Received 382 Likes on 236 Posts
I like the look of this aircraft. Very much "get the job done" look to it. Hope it continues to progress and meet milestones.
Lonewolf_50 is offline  
Old 22nd Feb 2016, 16:36
  #35 (permalink)  
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Peripatetic
Posts: 17,368
Received 1,568 Likes on 714 Posts
ORAC is online now  
Old 23rd Feb 2016, 08:06
  #36 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Godforsakencountry
Posts: 281
Received 2 Likes on 2 Posts
Can I please ask what is the purpose of the small drogue it trailed on take-off and landing in the above clip?
Argonautical is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2016, 09:38
  #37 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 26,795
Received 270 Likes on 109 Posts
It is a trailing static pressure sensor, necessary to calibrate the aircraft's flight instruments.

Commonly seen on the first few test flights of most new designs.
BEagle is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2016, 09:40
  #38 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Perth
Posts: 154
Received 5 Likes on 2 Posts
It's a trailing static probe that provides accurate data to the test aircrew. Theory is the cone flies outside the aircraft wake and provides accurate P/S data to allow calibration of the on-aircraft systems. Commonly used on early test flights to ensure the data coming directly from the aircraft system is accurate and not being adversely affected by aircraft attitude.

Edit: Wot he said ^^^^^^^

Last edited by Speedywheels; 23rd Feb 2016 at 09:41. Reason: Beaten to it by BEagle
Speedywheels is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2016, 13:43
  #39 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London, New York, Paris, Moscow.
Posts: 3,632
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by BEagle
The F-35B is intended to use the probe-and-drogue system, so why would the KC-390 need a boom system?
Really? wow bet thats "really" stealthy then...
glad rag is offline  
Old 23rd Feb 2016, 13:50
  #40 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Somewhere nice
Age: 52
Posts: 231
Received 12 Likes on 4 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by BEagle View Post
The F-35B is intended to use the probe-and-drogue system, so why would the KC-390 need a boom system?

glad rag:
"Really? wow bet thats "really" stealthy then...2

The F-35 uses both methods, no?
rugmuncher is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.