The E2 Iron Bird has made its debut at Embraer’s Eugênio de Melo facility. The rig brings various aircraft systems together in one place but without a fuselage. The setup permits X-Ray images of all the components. The Iron Bird integrates equipment and systems in a single tool and enables the start of the systems test campaign that will eventually lead to the first flight and certification of the E190-E2.

For this phase, the Iron Bird is comprised of the E2’s hydraulic, avionics and flight control systems. These are assembled to represent the way they would be installed on an actual aircraft in order to establish a realistic environment in which to conduct assessments. In the coming weeks, the Eugênio de Melo team will test the hydraulic system and the flight control system (which incorporates fly-by-wire technology) in order to mature those systems on the first prototype E2. Thanks to the Iron Bird, the team can start testing the prototype even though it is not yet built!

For Romulus Muniz Penner, System Test Integrator, the greatest challenge in setting up the Iron Bird was to maintain the project’s high quality standards while keeping to the tight schedule. This was no easy task since many internal divisions and suppliers were involved and everyone had to work in tune. The next steps are to integrate the hydraulic, avionics and flight control systems, and to add the landing gear.