The first flight of the new military transport and aerial refueling jet, the KC-390, has been successfully performed by Embraer. Test pilots Mozart Louzada and Marcos Salgado de Oliveira Lima, and flight test engineers Raphael Lima and Roberto Becker, flew the aircraft for 1 hour 25 minutes, conducting an evaluation of flying qualities and performance.
“This first flight is a fundamental step toward accomplishing the task with which we were entrusted. The KC-390 is the result of a close cooperation with the Brazilian Air Force and international partners, representing what is most likely the greatest technological challenge the company has ever encountered. We are profoundly moved for having achieved this key milestone,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, president and CEO of Embraer.
On its maiden flight the KC-390 crew performed maneuvers to evaluate its flight characteristics and conducted a variety of systems tests, having benefited from an advanced campaign of simulations and extensive ground tests. “The KC-390 behaved in a docile and predictable manner,” said Captain Louzada. “The advanced fly-by-wire flight control system and the latest-generation avionics make flying easy and render a smooth and precise flight.”
