Embraer is celebrating the 50th year of operations for the EMB 110 Bandeirante, which entered service on February 9th, 1973, launching the modern Brazilian aeronautical industry. In nearly two decades of production, the company delivered 498 of the aircraft type.
On Thursday (February 9, 2023), Embraer celebrated the 50th anniversary of operations for the EMB 110 Bandeirante, which entered service on February 9th, 1973. The first aircraft was delivered to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) in a ceremony at the company’s factory in São José dos Campos, in São Paulo’s countryside. The FAB used the aircraft for a range of missions, such as transporting people, cargo, and paratroopers, and also for flight instruction, testing, search & rescue and reconnaissance. Entry into service of the EMB 110 Bandeirante marked the start of the modern Brazilian aeronautical industry. The IPD/PAR aeronautical project was originally conceived at the Aeronautic Technical Center (CTA) and authorized by the Ministry of Aeronautics in 1965. The aircraft’s first flight took place on October 22, 1968, and the airplane was later named Bandeirante.
Marking the special occasion, Brazilian Air Force Commander, Lieutenant-Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno said,
“The Bandeirante represents a major milestone for Brazilian aviation. Born from the dreams of visionaries like Ozires Silva, the aircraft played an essential role in Brazil’s integration and, year after year, proved to be a versatile, safe twin-engine capable of operating in all regions of our immense country. This model expresses much more than just an aircraft that has been successfully used by the Brazilian Air Force in the last 50 years. It represents a victorious partnership that gave birth to the largest company in our aeronautical industry, a source of pride for all Brazilians. Congratulations, Embraer.”
Also commenting on Bandeirante’s 50th Anniversary, Embraer’s President and CEO, Francisco Gomes Neto, said,
“Embraer and FAB are long-standing strategic partners, and the Bandeirante depicts the beginning of an important industrial cooperation. The aircraft was a milestone for the development of regional aviation worldwide and the first commercial success of the Brazilian aeronautical industry abroad. Robust and versatile, the result of an innovative project for the time, the Bandeirante was produced in versions for civil and military use, and it fills us with pride to know that many units are still in operation today.”
The development of the Bandeirante involved the collaboration of 170 national companies, and Embraer was created in 1969 to scale production and improve the prototype. With the vast size of Brazil, the Bandeirante was conceived to connect the most diverse points of the national territory, such as the Amazon, Northeast, or Midwest of the country. The aircraft was developed in various models, including a civil version which was operated by Transbrasil and VASP. In 1975 the first military person version was exported to Uruguay, followed two years later with the delivery of the civil version to the French airline Air Littoral, the first international customer for the passenger version. Later, Bandeirante would become the aircraft of reference for the regional market in North America.
Embraer's Versatile EMB 110 Bandeirante Has Served a Range of Military and Civil Aviation Roles Since Entering Service on February 9, 1973 - Photo Gallery Courtesy of Embraer
Production of the Bandeirante lasted nearly two decades, and 498 aircraft were delivered to customers in 36 countries. The Bandeirante established itself as one of the best-selling aircraft in its class, and marked a new era of regional air transport, both in Brazil and worldwide.
Source: Embraer