Embraer completes troop unloading and evacuation tests of KC-390

Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer has concluded troop unloading and evacuation tests of the KC-390 multi-mission medium-size military transport aircraft.

Carried out at Brasília Air Force Base in Brazil, the trials saw the evacuation of military troops by the hatch and through the front and rear doors of the jet-powered airlift.

The tests were conducted to meet the requirements for attaining the final operational capability (FOC) of the aircraft.

FOC is a primary step towards achieving the final military certification of the aircraft, which is due to take place in the last quarter of next year.

Involving approximately 370 military personnel, unloading and evacuation trials were supported both by the Brazilian Air Force and the Brazilian Army.

Embraer KC-390 Programme vice-president Walter Pinto Junior said: “By completing this important stage of the testing campaign toward final military certification with excellence, the KC-390 demonstrates compliance with the industry’s most stringent operating and safety standards.”

The KC-390 is a tactical military airlift that has been developed to set new standards in its category while offering one of the lowest lifecycle costs on the market.

The aircraft is capable of carrying out a wide range of missions such as transport, air delivery, aerial refuelling, search and rescue, and forest firefighting.

In October, Embraer received the Type Certificate for its KC-390 aircraft from the Brazilian aviation authority Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC).