Embraer plays down gearup landing

An Embraer 170 prototype accidentally landed with the gear retracted at the company’s Gaviao Peixoto test complex in Brazil on August 17. The incident will not affect the planned November date for the 70-passenger regional jet’s JAA and FAA certification, according to the company (see page 97). Embraer said the unintentional belly landing damaged the engine nacelles and lower aft fuselage, and said it expects to repair the airplane, the fourth prototype in the program, “in the coming weeks.”