CBA-123

THREE-VIEW
Subtle changes have been incorporated into the CBA-123 design, which is now frozen
CBA-123 design frozen
Design of the Embraer/Fama
CBA-123 19-seat pressurised
regional airliner has now been
frozen, and metal cutting has
started. Certification and entry
into service are scheduled for
1991. No firm orders have yet
been received for the $4 5
million aircraft.
The first flights are planned
in Brazil in January 1990, and
in Argentina the following July.
Its first public appearance is
planned for the next Farn-
borough Air Show in 1990. Two
prototypes of the pusher
turboprop aircraft are being
built, one at Fama and one at
Embraer.
Changes to the original
design include modification of
the rear fuselage, with area-
ruling to improve airflow around
the powerplants. Overall fuse-
lage length has increased from
17-18m to 17 -77m, giving
additional space aft of the
cockpit and a more pronounced
tailcone.
The wing-to-fuselage fairing
has been redesigned, and now
extends much further both
ahead and behind the wing, to
enable the installation of two
central fuel tanks with a total
fuel capacity of 57Hit, as well as
improving aerodynamics. Spoil-
erons have been eliminated by
increasing wing and aileron
spans. The new wingspan is
17-72m, compared with the
previous 17-57m. Wing sweep
has also changed from 5 to 6
and aspect ratio from 11-6 to
11-1.
An aft ventral fin, which had
been added to prevent propeller
ground strikes, has been
replaced by a small tail bumper
located under the rear fuselage
in the propeller plane. Engine
pylons have been slightly relo-
cated in relation to the fuselage,
and now feature sweepback and
dihedral. Carbonfibre is also
being used to reduce vibration
propagation. Engine nacelle
design has eliminated external
exhaust ducts to reduce drag
and allow airflow to reach the
propellers undisturbed. The
vertical fin has been moved
further aft to protect control
cables against propeller blade
failure, and to protect the hori-
zontal stabiliser from propeller-
thrown ice.
The production split is two-
thirds for Embraer and one-
third for Fama, but two
production lines will build the
new airliner. Embraer chief
executive Ozilio da Silva recog-
nises that the situation may not
be easy because of Fama's rela-
tive inexperience in producing
aircraft of this size. It has tradi-
tionally built only military
aircraft. He also believes that
the industrial organisation
needs modifying to suit the
construction of the regional
airliner. But da Silva empha-
sises that he foresees no major
problems with the production
plans.
More than 50 paid options on
the CBA-123 have been made
by airlines, although da Silva
refuses to identify the carriers.
Present Embraer customers in
Brazil and Europe are under-
stood to be the carriers holding
the options, but the US sales
campaign has not begun.
Embraer and Fama are having a
broad one-day presentation in
Fort Lauderdale in either Octo-
ber or November both for
current Embraer operators and
potential new ones. Da Silva
says a considerable amount of
interest has been shown in the
CBA-123.
The CBA-123's maximum
take-off weight has increased
almost 1,000kg, from 7,800kg
to 8,500kg. Its maximum cruise
speed is 351kt at 30,000ft, and
range with 19 passengers is 754
n.m. Twin-engine and single-
engine climb rates are now
2,700 ft/min and 760 ft/min
respectively, Embraer says.
About l,900hr of windtunnel
testing has been completed, and
information gained is being
used to develop a simulator
long before the actual CBA-123
flies.
Brasilia
stretch
studied
Embraer is studying a stretch of
its EMB-120 Brasilia regional
airliner. No decision will be
made, however, until it has
completed engineering work on
the CBA-123 joint venture with
Fama in Argentina.
"We won't start a stretch
before we are at an advanced
stage with the CBA-123, to
avoid a high peak in engineer-
ing work," says Embraer's chief
executive, Ozilio da Silva. The
Brasilia is only in its third year
of deliveries and da Silva
believes it is too early to develop
a stretch. The aircraft is selling
well, he says, and, despite pres-
sure from customers to develop
a stretched version, he will not
be moved.
The first stretched Brasilias
would be available in about
three to four years, he believes.
Initial studies have determined
that the aircraft will have no
more than 42 seats. To increase
capacity further would demand
a number of important changes.
Embraer hopes to improve the
structural design with a stretch
and foresees no problems with
the powerplants. Pratt & Whit-
ney has already offered a tech-
nical proposal for a stretched
Brasilia, da Silva says.
While at the Farnborough
Air Show, Embraer delivered
the sixth of 20 Brasilias ordered
by Texas Air, which also holds
options on another 30 Brasilias.
The aircraft are for its
commuter operations, includ-
ing Bar Harbour and Britt
Airways. It is also hoping to
announce orders for about
another 30 of the type during
the show from three of four
airlines which it refused to
Turbofan
on target
The CFE738 turbofan, a joint
venture between General Elec-
tric and Garrett, is on course for
its first run in 1989. The
CFE738 is a 5,6001b-thrust
turbofan designed for new and
derivative medium-sized busi-
ness aircraft.
CFE maintains that the most
immediate market for its engine
will be the Shorts FJX, which
was unveiled in March 1988.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 17 September 1988 63