In a major breakthrough for Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer, Malaysia's SKS Airways has selected the E195-E2 for its regional operations out of Kuala Lumpur. SKS Airways (SKS) will receive ten E195-E2s under an agreement with global aircraft lessor Azorra.

The deal was announced this afternoon at Malaysia's Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 23). When the ten Embraer E195-E2s start arriving next year, SKS will become the type's first operator in Southeast Asia, growing the OEM's Asia-Pacific fleet to around 200 aircraft.

SKS Airways the first to fly the E195-E2 in Southeast Asia

SKS Airways is building its regional expansion plans around the new generation aircraft, to be based at Kuala Lumpur's Subang Airport (SBZ), formerly the city's main airport until 1998. From this base SKS will be able to exploit the E195-E2s range of 2,600 nautical miles, the equivalent of around seven hours flying time.

The aircraft lease agreement between SKS Airways and Azorra was signed today in the presence of Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, His Majesty Sultan Abdullah ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, Minister of Transport YB Tuan Loke Siew Fook, Ambassador of Brazil to Malaysia H.E. Ary Norton de Murat Quintella, President and CEO of Embraer Services and Support Johann Bordais and CCO Embraer Commercial Aviation Martyn Holmes.

SKS Airways Director Dato' Rohman Ahmad said today is a significant day for the future of aviation in Malaysia. He added:

"We are delighted to announce the successful signing of these agreements with leading industry players like Embraer and Azorra who share our vision for the future of air travel.

"The prevalence of the E-Jets at city airports around the world and the low emissions of the E195-E2 makes the aircraft a perfect fit for flights in and out of Subang Airport - supporting the Government's aim to establish Subang Airport as Malaysia's premium city airport and aviation hub."

Earlier this year the Malaysian government announced the Subang Airport Regeneration Plan, which aims to transform the facility into a premium city airport and regional aviation hub. The E2 family, including the E190-E2, is building a solid reputation as the aircraft of choice for regional operations to and from inner city airports.

They are currently operating at city airports like New York's LaGuardia Airport, Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont and London City Airport (LCY). At London City Airport 86% of the total flights are operated by E-Jets with airlines including British Airways, Helvetic (operating for SWISS) and KLM using the aircraft.

From Embrarer's side, Martyn Holmes said the E195-E2:

"Will deliver a step change for our first Malaysian operator, SKS Airways, as it grows regional connectivity within the country and beyond. We welcome SKS Airways to the Embraer family and we look forward to growing our collaboration and partnerships in Malaysia as the country continues to develop as a major aerospace hub."

SKS takes up Embraer fleet support

SKS has also signed a long-term Services Agreement with Embraer, which provides the airline access to exchanges and repair services for parts. This includes a pool of more than 300 repairable parts for Embraer aircraft, plus eSolutions technology to enhance fleet monitoring and preventative maintenance.

The Pool Program, which supports more than 50 carriers worldwide, allows airlines to minimize their investment in high-value repairable parts while maintaining access to Embraer's technical expertise and extensive component repair network. The airline will also benefit from AHEAD (Aircraft Health Analysis and Diagnosis), which comprises early detection capabilities for critical systems, reducing technical disruptions and avoiding cancelations.

It also includes eSight real-time fleet performance monitoring and ePerf, a tablet application for pilots to generate runway performance data offline. It also needs to be remembered that the E2 family has the longest maintenance intervals in the single-aisle jet category - with 10,000 flight hours for basic checks and no calendar limit for typical E-Jet operations.

Do you think the E195-E2 will prove a success in Southeast Asia? Let us know in the comments.