Embraer has confirmed that the first prototype of its KC-390 multi-role airlifter rejoined the flight test program on March 2 and this week the aircraft is participating in the Feria Internacional de Aire y del Espacio (FIDAE) air show in Santiago, Chile.
The aircraft was damaged during a flight test incident last October and had been grounded at Embraer’s flight test facility at Gavião Peixoto for repairs. However the Brazilian manufacturer said that the KC-390 development program remains on track to achieve Final Operational Capability (FOC) on schedule at the end of the year, coinciding with initial delivery to the launch customer, the Brazilian Air Force. By the end of March the flight test campaign had accumulated in excess of 1600 hours.
The aircraft, the first of two prototype KC-390s, unexpectedly stalled while conducting simulated icing trials on October 12, 2017 and was overstressed during the subsequent recovery manoeuvre. An Embraer spokesman said that there are no modifications required to either the aircraft or its systems as a result of the incident.
“During a stall test point to evaluate flying qualities at low speed, with artificial ice shapes fitted to the aircraft, a momentary control difficulty was experienced, leading to the angle of attack limit for that flight condition being exceeded,” the spokesperson said. “During the subsequent recovery manoeuvre the airspeed and load factor limits were also exceeded.”
During the recent Singapore Air Show Skytech, a joint venture between HiFly of Portugal and Australia’s Adagold Aviation, announced a Letter of Intent for the purchase of six KC-390s. The aircraft is also a contender for the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Future Air Mobility Capability (FAMC) requirement.
“We have been following the New Zealand Defence Force’s FAMC requirement for quite some time now,” Embraer’s spokesperson added. “We understand that air mobility is a key capability for New Zealand due to its geographical position and this means the country will always need to deploy its forces thousands of miles to where they are needed. The KC-390 has been designed and built to be the key to unlock this potential for countries like New Zealand.”