A Swiss premiere: Helvetic Airways welcomes the Embraer E195-E2 “TechLion” to Zurich

Helvetic Airways welcomed the Embraer E195-E2 “TechLion” to Zurich Airport today. The Swiss regional airline is currently re-equipping its Embraer E190 fleet from the E1 to the E2 generation.

Embraer presented its spectacular E195-E2 “TechLion” to the Swiss media today. The Brazil-based manufacturer is currently touring the state-of-the-art twinjet, which is the company’s largest commercial aircraft.

The lion from which it takes its name is the king of the jungle, the E195-E2 is also the king of Embraer’s E-Jet family. With a length of 41.5 metres, a wingspan of 35.1 metres and a maximum takeoff weight of 61.5 tonnes, the E195-E2 can transport 144 passengers up to 4 800 kilometres.

“The E195-E2 is a game changer in this market; so it’s no surprise that Helvetic, a leader in innovation and the early adoption of the latest technologies, is considering adding the aircraft to their existing Embraer fleet,” says Martyn Holmes, Vice President Europe, Central Asia & Russia, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “This aircraft delivers the sustainability, comfort, and reliability passengers demand, while also delivering the best operating costs for airlines, The numbers speak for themselves - fuel consumption is 25.4% less fuel per seat compared to the current generation. The E195-E2 is also the most environmentally friendly aircraft in its class, having the lowest levels of noise and emissions.”

Twelve orders, twelve options
As part of its strategic fleet planning, Helvetic Airways is considering converting some of its current orders for Embraer E190-E2s to the larger E195-E2 version. “With its meaningful mix of seat capacity, range, fuel consumption and ecofriendly credentials, the Embraer E195-E2 is virtually unchallenged in the 120-to-150-seat medium-haul segment,” explains Helvetic Airways CEO Tobias Pogorevc. “And by operating a fleet with cockpit commonality and differing seat capacities, we could further enhance our company’s operational flexibility.”

As already reported, Helvetic Airways ordered 12 Embraer E190-E2s in July 2018, with options for 12 further aircraft. If all these options are exercised, the acquisition would represent a total investment (at list prices) of some USD 1.5 billion.

Far lower fuel consumption and highly reliable technology
After four months in service, Helvetic Airways’ first two Embraer E190-E2s have fulfilled all their Brazilian manufacturer’s simulation-based promises in performance terms. In fact, their lower fuel consumption of up to 20% is exceeding Embraer’s advertised figure of 17% lower fuel burn and has surpassed Helvetic’s expectations. With its new aircraft technologies, the E190-E2 has also proved extremely dependable in Helvetic service.

Ongoing fleet renewal
Following the delivery of its third Embraer E190-E2, HB-AZC, the Helvetic Airways fleet now numbers 14 aircraft: eleven Embraer E190-E1s and three E190-E2s. The delivery schedule for the airline’s further new E190-E2s will continue to speed up in the next few months. Four more deliveries will follow by this summer, bringing the E190-E2 contingent to seven aircraft in all. Parallel to this, three of the airline’s first-generation E190-E1s will be withdrawn. Helvetic Airways has the declared objective of operating Europe’s most advanced and ecofriendly regional aircraft fleet by 2021.