FAA Certifies E195

Embraer gained FAA certification for the E195 last month, more than a year after it won certification for the 110-seat airliner from European and Brazilian authorities and delivered the first production example to launch customer Flybe of the UK. Although the E195 has yet to win an order from a North American airline, certification by all three agencies means leasing companies can move the airplanes from one region to another without any special permission or modifications. As of last month the E195’s latest operator designate hailed from Montenegro, where Montenegro Airlines signed a contract with GECAS to lease two 116-seat-configured airplanes, the first of which it plans to take next May and the other in May 2009.  –Gregory Polek