Comment by maxglute
1 day ago
>That's not the differentiator.
It's differentiator in sense engine manufactures are part of western aviation industrial complex and can limit access, i.e. COMAC sanctions. Unless you're western core, you do not have guaranteed access. I think Embraer is creeping on to bottom end of narrowbody, but they're far from wide body. And with respect to topic, modern strategic tanking are wide body size, i.e. Embraer E190 is not same heavy league as KC46, MRTT, Y20, Il-78, and Embraer has not demonstrated ability to go beyond regional narrowbody. Fielded widebody options is really just Airbus/Boeing duopoly, AVIC/Xi'an, UAC stumbling along from legacy USSR stack.
I travelled on an E195 recently and I have to say it was much more comfortable than any 737 or 320/321 I've been on. Unlike other regionals I've travelled on in the past which were noisy, cramped and bumpy.
Their squircle fuselage works out really well. Really next-gen which makes sense because the Boeing and Airbus designs are decades old. I think they certainly have the chops to scale it up that bit to reach regular narrow body. But I imagine they just don't want to because that might mean trade sanctions from the US.
But I think the restrictions are more artificial/protectionist than actual knowledge. I'm sure sooner rather than later we'll have comacs flying in Europe. The Russian ones depend really on whether they resolve the war situation.
There are indications Embraer might announce a new aircraft at the next Farnborough Airshow, fingers crossed!
Boeing spun off United Airlines and P&W for antitrust reasons... Spirit AeroSystems that makes Boeing fuselages as products is likewise a spinoff.