PARIS — Embraer and Lanzhou Aviation Industry Development Group signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) today at the Paris Air Show for the purchase of 20 E190F and E195F E-Jets Passenger-to-Freight Conversions (P2F).

Lanzhou Group is now the launch customer for Embraer’s P2F conversion in China.

The companies plan to work together to establish E190F and E195F conversion capabilities in Lanzhou, China. This will help facilitate the introduction of E-Jet first-generation freighters to the Chinese market.

The cooperation between the two companies will serve as an initial starting point for them to leverage their strengths, promote the development of Lanzhou's air transportation industry, and boost the economy around the airport.

Embraer E190F, E195F P2F

Embraer launched the E190F and E195F Passenger to Freight Conversions program in March 2022 to meet high cargo demand, such as that in China. Positioned in the market to fill the gap between turboprops and larger narrowbodies, Embraer's new freighters have the flexibility to adapt to changing market trends.

For example, Embraer predicts a need for 700 E-Jet freighters in the next 20 years, with China requiring 240 of them due to e-commerce and logistics growth.

The E-Jets P2F conversions offer 50% more volume capacity, three times the range of large cargo turboprops, and up to 30% lower operating costs than narrowbodies. The maximum gross structural payload of the E190F is 13,150kg and the E195F is 14,300kg with impressive net weights and volumes.

The two E-Jet models included in the P2F program, the E190 and E195 are among Embraer’s best-selling commercial aircraft. Embraer has an after-sales service and support system in China, including "authorized maintenance centers, spare parts warehouses, and a complete pilot training network," according to aviator.aero.

Comments from Company Officials

“The opportunity in China had a significant influence during the decision-making process of the launch of our P2F program. It is a market with increasing demand for cargo aircraft to accommodate the tremendous growth of E-commerce trade and the consequent evolution of the logistics industry. We’re confident in this booming market and always willing to support the sector’s further progress in cooperation with our Chinese partners,” said Arjan Meijer, President and CEO Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We welcome Lanzhou Group to be the region’s launch customer for Embraer’s P2F conversion, and we expect to bring new vitality to Chinese market with our E-Jets freighters.”

“The LoA signed with Lanzhou Group today is a strong indicator of the demand we are seeing for our E-Jet freight conversions in China,” said Johann Bordais, President & CEO, Embraer Services and Support. “It’s great to welcome Lanzhou to join our E-Jets freighter family. We’re glad to help them integrate into the E190/E195 conversion network and speed up our P2F efforts in China so that more Embraer freighters can be delivered to our Chinese customers in the future.”

“We are honored to be the launch customer of the Embraer E-Jets freighters in China. We believe the ‘China speed’ in aviation logistics will be an important basis for the sustainable and efficient growth of the Chinese economy,” said Chen Zhiqiang, President of Lanzhou Aviation Industry Development Group.

Stay tuned to Airways/PAS2023 for more coverage of the Paris Air show.

Featured image: E190F. Render: Embraer