On the 6th of July, Brazilian Aircraft manufacturer, Embraer E195-E2 showed off its aircraft in Uzbekistan, kicking off a two-day tour.
The demonstration flights illustrate Uzbekistan as a growing aviation market in Central Asia. Uzbekistan offers the most challenging flying conditions in the region, with mountainous terrains and beautiful views giving the E2 an edge in showing off its ‘hot and high’ capabilities.
The demonstration flights offered government officials, politicians, the media, and airline representatives in the country an up-close experience of the high-efficiency E2 family jets. The jets are designed to champion operation efficiency and offer inflight comfort for passengers.
Implications of the Demonstration Flight
The demonstration flight comes with the hopes that will raise the aircraft’s awareness in the former Soviet nation. The flight brings a lot of implications for the bullish Uzbek foreign and domestic air market, as the country is on an upwards trajectory in terms of regional air traffic growth and connectivity, as well as rapid focus on infrastructure improvement.
The nation is also looking to re-brand its tourism might, which is now taking a positive turn. Uzbekistan, nestled in the beautiful mountain ranges across Central Asia, gives the country a challenging geography spearheaded by intense summer heat which demands the best of aircraft to perform flights in the region. The Embraer E2 looks to be the strongest contender for Uzbekistan’s notorious ‘hot and high’ terrain.
The Uzbekistan Demonstration Flight
The demonstration flight met with many high profiles individuals, including esteemed delegates from the Government of Uzbekistan, the Brazilian Embassy, the media, representatives of the local aviation industry, and airlines from the region.
Michal Nowak, VP of Sales & Marketing, Head of Region for Europe and Central Asia – Commercial Aviation commented on the demonstration flight: “The demonstration flights provided an excellent opportunity to showcase the operational efficiency, low maintenance costs, and adaptability of our E2 family to challenging conditions, making it a perfect fit for the Uzbekistan market,” He furthered: “We are excited about the opportunities this market presents.”
The demonstration flight was co-hosted with Uzbekistan Airports and Uzbekistan Airways. Rano Juraeva, Chairwoman of the Board of Uzbekistan Airports stated with optimism and gave positive comments on Embraer’s latest product: “Embraer’s range of regional aircraft has proven itself in the global aviation market. I am glad that the manufacturer is constantly working on new aircraft developments, paying attention to important criteria like sustainability, fuel efficiency, and noise level reduction.”
“Today we are witnessing a historic moment as the aviation sector of Uzbekistan is experiencing a real boom. Over the past year, several new domestic airlines have been launched in the country and new aircraft types have started operations in Uzbekistan., providing a strong boost to the development of tourism, both domestic and international.”
“Against this background, this event is very important for us, when domestic carriers can be familiarized with a new aircraft type, directly ask questions to the manufacturer, and take part in the demo flight.”
Shukhrat Khudaykulov, CEO of Uzbekistan Airways. “Adaptability, operational efficiency, and reliability in a unique geographical environment are key factors to be considered as we evaluate our future fleet development. We are thankful for this opportunity to sample the Embraer E195-E2’s capabilities in Uzbekistan, which will allow us to make an informed decision to improve our service and develop the airline’s route network”
Verdict?
Uzbekistan Airlines have emerged to become a very highly efficient airline and has moved away from its Soviet past. The smallest airline they operated was the IL-114s, flying domestically.
The E2 would do more than replace the aircraft but also enhance and expand the operational capabilities of the airline to greater heights.
