The new generation multi-mission transport aircraft. Look back into the Embraer KC-390 achievements. From its first flight to the Initial Operational Capability milestone, the aircraft piled up more than 1,500 flying hours.
The Embraer KC-390 is a medium-size, twin-engine jet-powered military transport aircraft under development by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer, able to perform aerial refuelling and to transport cargo and troops. It is the heaviest aircraft that the company has made to date, and will be able to transport up to 26 tonnes (29 tons) of cargo, including wheeled armoured fighting vehicles.
Typical of a medium-sized and medium-range tactical airlifter, the KC-390 has a spacious, rectangular cargo bay that spans much of the fuselage’s length, and a rear ramp allowing for a RO/RO (Roll-On, Roll-Off) capability. Ruggedized landing gear allows the KC-390 to take-off from or land on any hard and flat surface, including dirt airstrips typical of front line bases. The nose is very short and swept downward, to maximize the aircrew’s forward visibility, and as with many military cargo aircraft, the horizontal stabilizer is mounted on top of the vertical stabilizer in an “all-flying tail” (sometimes called a “T-tail”) configuration. The cargo hold can accommodate up to three vehicles collectively weighing up to 23 metric tons (for example, three HMMVWs, or one VBTP-MR Guarani).
The KC-390’s avionics are exceptional for an aircraft of its class. They include HUD displays for both the pilot and co-pilot, a night vision system, a GPS system, and a CARP (“Computed Air Release Point”) system that allows for the automatic opening of the cargo doors and release of cargo at a specific point in mid-air. Both the pilot and co-pilot have identical controls and instruments at their stations, and all the functions of the KC-390 are controlled and managed via a digital fly-by-wire system.
