Virgin Australia Group has placed eight firm orders for Embraer E190-E2 aircraft in a significant investment which will secure the future growth of its WA-based regional and charter business, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines (VARA).
The E190-E2, which is the world’s most fuel efficient single-aisle jet aircraft with the lowest noise profile of any aircraft in its segment, will complement VARA’s fleet of larger narrowbodies and ultimately replace its long-serving Fokker 100 fleet.
The new aircraft will support the creation of 150 new, WA-based jobs in the VARA business over the next three years.
The E190-E2 will be configured in Embraer’s signature two by two seating. The aircraft has a flying range of around six hours and is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s PW1900G engines.
Building upon the first-generation E-Jet’s 20 years of operational excellence, the E190-E2’s enhanced aerodynamics, novel wing design, and new technologies deliver significant improvements in carbon emissions and fuel burn. It has been certified to fly with blends of up to 50 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and has demonstrated through test flights the engine’s compatibility with 100 per cent SAF .
The acquisition of new aircraft for VARA is part of a significant group-wide fleet growth and renewal program that includes the acquisition of new Boeing 737 MAX-8 aircraft and the refurbishment of the airline’s existing 737 fleet.
The announcement comes as construction of VARA’s new $35 million Perth Airport hangar continues, with opening expected in late 2024.