(Posted 04th September 2025)
Embraer’s E-Jets E2 family has received Type Acceptance Certification from the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA); another significant milestone in the aircraft’s global success and reinforcing its suitability for the African market.
“This certification opens new opportunities for the aircraft, which has already attained significant success across the world,” said Stephan Hannemann, SVP for Africa and Middle East, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “Passengers can now look forward to experiencing the E2’s class-leading comfort very soon.”
Embraer’s E2 family of aircraft enables airlines to build operational flexibility, match capacity with demand, and add frequencies – all enhancing connectivity. E190-E2 and E195-E2 are the most fuel-efficient single aisle aircraft flying today, delivering 17.3% and 29% better fuel efficiency per seat respectively, compared to previous generation E-Jets.
The announcement comes on the heels of a major fleet expansion by Airlink, South Africa’s leading airline, which recently finalized a lease agreement with Azorra for 10 new Embraer E195-E2 aircraft. The first deliveries are expected later this year, with the full fleet arriving by 2027. These aircraft will seat up to 136 passengers in Embraer’s comfortable two-by-two configuration and will support Airlink’s growth across high-density and emerging routes in sub-Saharan Africa.
Arjan Meijer, President and CEO of Embraer Commercial Aviation, commented: “With Embraer firmly established as the market leader in the up to 150 seat segment in Africa, this region is a key focus for us. As a long-standing Embraer customer, it’s great that Airlink will soon be South Africa’s first E2 operator. This aircraft is the most efficient single-aisle jet and is perfectly suited to support Airlink’s ambitious growth plans across Southern Africa.”
Airlink CEO, de Villiers Engelbrecht, said: “South Africa’s type acceptance of the latest generation Embraer E195-E2 and its Pratt & Whitney engines by the SACAA are important milestones as we prepare to receive and take them into service. The E2’s additional capacity and range will let Airlink respond to increased demand on some of our most popular routes and extend our destination network so that we can provide convenient connections for customers in new markets.”
The type acceptance process was closely supported by Embraer’s engine partner Pratt & Whitney, as the E2’s next generation PW1900G engines were, in parallel, certified in South Africa. With SACAA certification now in place, Embraer’s E2 jets are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of aviation in South Africa and beyond.
