Middle-Eastern carrier Oman Air has retired all four of its Embraer E175s more than two years after they were first removed from service. The airline first withdrew the aircraft at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and they have only operated sporadic test flights since then.

The four aircraft are owned by Irish special purpose vehicles Likoma Propco 1 and Likoma Propco 2, which were established last November.

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The E-Jets have finally left the airline. Photo: Konstantin von Wedelstaedt via Wikimedia

Oman Air says goodbye to regional jets

While Oman Air hasn’t made any official announcement about the retirement of the E175s, it is likely that their roles will be filled by the larger 737 MAX. In January, the Omani flag carrier signed a sale and leaseback agreement with lessor CDB Aviation for five new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. These aircraft will more than fill the capacity left by the retirement of its E175s.

The jets were originally purchased back in 2009 at the Dubai Airshow, with four of the jets being operated by Oman Air and the final aircraft being used by the Royal Omani Police. Oman Air’s Embraer 175s were configured with 72 seats.

The E175s were primarily used on domestic routes, including to Al Khasab in the northeast of Oman. At the time, José Luis Molina, Embraer’s vice president of commercial aviation for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, said:

“E-Jets have been a tremendous success in the region. They are transforming networks and bringing better accessibility to passengers and greater efficiency to airlines. What impresses me is how all of our Middle East customers have transitioned from operationally-oriented carriers to market-focused airlines. I really believe this would not have been possible without adding E-Jets to their fleets, and it makes them better positioned for the future.”

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The original E170 first flew back in 2002. Photo: Embraer.

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The E175

The E175 was the stretched version of Embraer’s earlier E170 which first entered commercial service in 2004. The aircraft was originally designed to be a competitor to the likes of the CRJ900. Embraer has sold over 800 E175s to customers around the world. North American customers account for more than 85% of those, with over 700 aircraft. American Airlines alone operates a network fleet of over 100 E175 aircraft.

The aircraft’s specifications are:

  • Maximum Take-Off Weight: 40,370 kg / 89,000 lb
  • Maximum Landing Weight: 34,100 kg / 75,178 lb
  • Maximum Cruise Speed: M 0.82
  • Range: 2,200 nm / 4,074 km

The Embraer E195-E2 is the latest aircraft in the family, boasting a higher seat capacity and range. The first E2s were delivered in September of 2019. Leasing company Azorra recently announced that it was adding 20 more E-Jets to its portfolio. The sales agreement is flexible, with the company set to receive any combination of E190-E2s or E195-E2s. Deliveries of that new order will start next year.

The manufacturer has partnered with Pratt & Whitney to conduct a demonstration flight of its E2 using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel at some point this year.

What do you think about Embraer’s E-jets? Let us know what you think of the aircraft in the comments below.