Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer recently delivered the 1,600th unit of its Ipanema agricultural airplane model, used for crop-dusting soybeans, corn, coffee, and other crops. Embraer has produced the Ipanema uninterrupted for five decades. In 2023, it delivered 65 units—an 18% increase vs. 2022—and says it expects to deliver 70 Ipanema airplanes this year.
The Ipanema Through The Years
Embraer, which also produces Phenom 100EX and 300E and Praetor 500 and 600 business jets and aircraft for the commercial aviation and defense and security sectors, began producing the Ipanema in the 1970s. It introduced the Ipanema EMB-203 model in 2015 with redesigned winglets and a 320-horsepower (235-kilowatt) Lycoming engine. Embraer unveiled the current incarnation of the EMB-203 in 2020.
The plane can reportedly dust up to 494 acres (200 hectares) per hour. Embraer also says it’s the only agriculture airplane certified and produced in series to operate on 100% ethanol, and further claims that the renewable energy source provides the engine with increased power.
A Positive Impact
Embraer credits demand for the Ipanema with driving expansion at its factory in Botucatu, Brazil, which employs more than 1,800 workers, and cites the plane’s positive impact on Brazil’s economy.
"Agribusiness has a significant positive impact on Brazil's gross domestic product (GDP), and we are very pleased to see how the Ipanema has contributed to the sector's high productivity, efficiency, and sustainability," says Sany Onofre, manager of the Embraer Ipanema program.
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Source: Embraer
Posted On: 1/22/2024 12:00:00 AM
