The first commercial flight of the Embraer E-Freighter, a converted Embraer 190 passenger aircraft, has been successfully completed by Bridges Air Cargo, marking the launch of a new regional cargo platform.
The aircraft operated its inaugural commercial service on 9 March, flying from Cologne, Germany, to Larnaca, Cyprus, carrying express cargo shipments.
The aircraft will operate on behalf of Bridges Worldwide, a logistics network provider supporting express freight operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Embraer developed the E190F freighter conversion programme to meet the growing demand generated by e-commerce and decentralised logistics networks.
According to the manufacturer, converted E-Jets offer more than 40% additional cargo volume compared with traditional aircraft configurations, along with three times the range of large turboprop freighters and lower operating costs than larger narrowbody aircraft.
The aircraft can carry a maximum payload of 13,500 kg when combining cargo stored on both the main deck and lower deck.
Bridges Group CEO Guy Bridges said the company had spent more than a year developing specialised container systems and handling procedures to support the aircraft’s launch.
The aircraft is leased from Regional One, an aviation asset management company headquartered in Florida that provides leasing, parts, maintenance and modification services to airlines.
Industry observers believe the E190F platform could fill an important niche in the cargo market by providing 8-to-12-tonne capacity aircraft suited to regional express networks.
