The Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia is a twin- turboprop 30-passenger commuter airliner designed and manufactured by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer .
50-643: The EMB 120 began development during 1974. While initially conceived as a modular series of aircraft, the Family 12X and referred to as the Araguaia , intending to achieve a high level of commonality with the EMB 121 Xingu , the aircraft was redesigned and relaunched with the Brasilia name scheme during 1979. The redesign, which drew on operator feedback, reduced the seating capacity somewhat while removing commonality with
100-419: A Delta Connection carrier on behalf of Delta Air Lines via a code sharing agreement and, as of February 2010, commenced service as a United Express carrier on behalf of United Airlines via a separate code sharing agreement. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of SkyWest, Inc. ASA operated nearly 900 flights each day. Its main hub was located at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) which
150-447: A Delta Connection partner, joined ASA in announcing industry's largest regional jet order. Also in 2000, ASA went international with flights to Toronto, Canada , from Atlanta. In 2001, President Skip Barnette was named Regional Airline Executive of the year by the 2000 Commuter/Regional Airline News. Near the end of 2001, ASA carried the 2002 Olympic Flame between Miami, Florida , and Mobile, Alabama , as part of Delta's sponsorship of
200-641: A building in the Atlanta City limits. Prior to the headquarters move to the hangar, the ASA headquarters were in 61,000 square feet (5,700 m ) of space in the 100 Hartsfield Centre Parkway building, now named One Hartsfield Centre. That building is also in College Park, near Hartsfield Airport. ASA had occupied Suite 800. The airline announced it was moving to the A-Tech Center as its lease
250-436: A circular cross-section fuselage, low-mounted straight wings and has a T-tail . The fuselage is of semi- monocoque design, its skin being composed of an aluminium alloy . The wing structure comprises a single three-spar design that is linked to the frames of the lower side of the fuselage, while the nose cone, dorsal fin and leading edges of the wing and tailplane primarily comprise a Kevlar -reinforced glass fibre. The EMB 120
300-505: A larger fuel capacity. Before production ceased in 1987, Embraer had produced 106 EMB 121 aircraft, 51 of which were exported to countries outside Brazil. In 1975, Embraer began development of a family of three derivatives of its Bandeirante airliner, all of which were to feature a pressurised fuselage and T-tail . The smallest of the three, and the first to be launched, was the EMB-121 Xingu, designed to carry six passengers in
350-509: A range of external and interior improvements in comparison to most other models. The EMB 120RT could be upgraded to the EMB 120 ER ; older aircraft were retrofitted to this standard via a Service Bulletin. During 2001, production of the EMB 120 was terminated. As of 2021, Embraer has not manufactured a turboprop-powered successor, although company executives have occasionally hinted at there being interest in doing so at some point. The majority of
400-618: A request for proposal put out by Delta Air Lines aiming to reduce costs of its Delta Connection service. On December 30, 2008, Delta announced that 10 CRJ900 aircraft would be allocated to Atlantic Southeast Airlines beginning in April 2009. Eight aircraft will be delivered from the factory and two already in service with Pinnacle Airlines will be transferred to ASA. As part of the fleet enhancement, 20 CRJ200 aircraft were removed from ASA's Delta Connection Agreement beginning in June 2010. ASA had
450-410: A special-edition CRJ700 was delivered to ASA to celebrate its 25th anniversary of passenger service. On August 15, 2005, Delta announced that it had entered into an agreement to sell ASA to SkyWest, Inc. for $ 425 million, and on September 8, 2005, SkyWest announced that the acquisition had been completed, and that the code shares and flying would commence that night. Shortly after the completion of
500-480: A typical layout, with a maximum of nine passengers carried. The Xingu is a low-winged cantilever monoplane with a retractable tricycle undercarriage and a circular section fuselage. Its wing is based on that used by the Bandeirante, but with reduced wingspan. Like the Bandeirante, it is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 A turboprop engines. The prototype Xingu, registration PP-ZXI , flew for
550-498: Is a twin- turboprop fixed-wing aircraft built by the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer . The design is based on the EMB 110 Bandeirante , using its wing and engine design merged with an all-new fuselage . The EMB 121 first flew on 10 October 1976. A modified form of the EMB 121, the EMB 121A1 Xingu II , was introduced on 4 September 1981 with a more powerful engine (PT6A-135), increased seating (8 or 9 passengers) and
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#1732801628201600-619: Is also a hub for Delta. After a 2010 merger with ExpressJet , ASA adopted the ExpressJet name and branding in 2011. In November 2011, ASA and ExpressJet received a single operating certificate from the FAA and in December 2011, all flights were then operated by ExpressJet on behalf of its major airline code sharing partners. On March 12, 1979, the company was incorporated as Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Inc. with headquarters established in
650-507: Is equipped with retractable tricycle landing gear , which is actuated hydraulically . It is fitted with Goodrich -supplied wheels, oleo - pneumatic shock absorbers , a Hydro Aire anti-skid system, and either carbon or steel brakes. On 27 July 1983, the PW115-powered EMB 120 prototype performed its maiden flight . The type was able to rapidly attract interest from numerous regional airlines , particularly those based in
700-558: Is handled by Delta Air Lines. Under former CEO Brad Holt's new leadership, on-time performance steadily improved, with full recoveries in markets such as Montgomery, Alabama , where ASA was honored for exceeding the city's expectation in improving performance. After over five years of contentious negotiations with the Air Line Pilots Association, a new three-year agreement was reached in late September 2007 with ASA's 1800 pilots. ASA's Flight Attendants represented by
750-559: The 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City , Utah . In 2002, ASA received and began using its first Delta Connection 70-seat Canadair (now Bombardier ) CRJ700 aircraft. All previous CRJs were CRJ200 models, which only offered 50 seats. Also in 2002, ASA began service to its 100th airport: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Cincinnati, Ohio . By June 2003, ASA had received its 100th CRJ. In 2004,
800-640: The Delta Connection brand. This service is contingent on US as well as Mexican government approvals. ASA also announced the opening of a Los Angeles crew base on December 1, 2006, to support the expanded west coast operations. ASA began operations at its new Los Angeles focus city on December 15, 2006. On December 20, 2006, Skywest Inc. announced that 8 Comair CRJ700 aircraft would be transferred to Atlantic Southeast Airlines and operated out of Delta's Cincinnati hub beginning in January 2007. This followed
850-525: The EMB120 Combi and EMB120 Convertible emphasised flexible operations. During 1993, the first deliveries of the EMB120ER , an extended range model, took place; it was thereafter adopted as the standard production model. Furthermore, hot-and-high versions of these models were commonly equipped with PW118A engines that retain their power ratings at a higher altitude. The EMB120ER Advanced incorporates
900-879: The VC-97 , was produced and procured by the Brazilian Air Force . As of July 2018, 105 Brasilias were in airline service: 45 in North/South America, 26 in Africa, 14 in Europe and 20 in Asia-Pacific, with major operators: Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89 General characteristics Performance Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Embraer EMB 121 Xingu The Embraer EMB 121 Xingu (pronounced " shingoo ")
950-413: The "North Hangar." The 203,000-square-foot (18,900 m ) hangar includes 100,000 square feet (9,300 m ) of hangar bays for aircraft maintenance. It has 17 acres (6.9 ha) of adjacent land and 1,400 parking spaces for employees. The airline planned to relocate 100 employees from Macon, Georgia , to the new headquarters. The Atlanta City Council and Mayor of Atlanta Shirley Franklin approved of
1000-512: The 2020s, numerous airlines have opted to retain a handful of examples in their active fleet. It has been commonly contrasted against the ubiquitous Douglas DC-3 , often being used as a more modern substitute for the aging classic and possessing roughly double the speed. Several military operators also procured the type, such as the Angolan Air Force , which received new-build aircraft during 2007. A specialised VIP transport version,
1050-513: The Association of Flight Attendants reached a contract agreement as of August 2008. On May 21, 2010, Atlantic Southeast unveiled a new brand (top of page on right), moving away from "ASA," and a new vision. In August 2010, SkyWest announced that it had entered into a definitive merger agreement with ExpressJet Holdings , whereby Atlantic Southeast, as SkyWest's wholly owned subsidiary, will purchase ExpressJet for $ 6.75 per share. Day one of
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#17328016282011100-681: The Atlanta area. June 27 saw the start of operations with three 19-passenger de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprop aircraft on an intrastate route between Atlanta and Columbus . From 1979 to 1999 the call sign for ASA was "ACEY". In 1999 there was confusion between the ACEY call sign and that of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) New Mexico -based fighter unit's call sign "ACER". The FAA insisted that one of
1150-541: The British Civil Aviation Authority in July that year. On 26 July 1980, Embraer flew the prototype Xingu modified to a new version, with its fuselage stretched by the addition of a 25 cm (9.8 in) plug ahead of the wing and a 64 cm (25 in) plug aft of the wing, with the wing span increased by 38 cm (15 in). The new version, which was intended to be better suited to
1200-557: The Dallas/Fort Worth hub began in 2000. On September 8, 1998, the company was honored as one of the global aviation and aerospace industry's best managed companies by Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine. Delta Air Lines acquired the company on March 22, 1999, increasing its stake in Atlantic Southeast Airlines from 28% to 100%, and operations began on May 11 of that year. In 2000, Comair ,
1250-437: The EMB 120 was terminated; it was the last turboprop-powered airliner to be produced by Embraer. Following on from the success of the EMB 110 Bandeirante , Embraer commenced work on developing their first transport category airliner in 1974. At one point, this cumulated in the Family 12X , which comprised three models with modular design concept: EMB 120 Araguaia , EMB 123 Tapajós and EMB 121 Xingu . The original concept for
1300-416: The EMB 120 would have been a relatively straightforward stretch of the EMB 121, facilitating a high degree of commonality between the two types. However, the EMB 121 would be the sole 12X model that was actually produced in its original form; the EMB 120 would be redesigned during 1979, disposing of the Araguaia name at the same time. At the official launching of the project, held in 1979, the name Brasilia
1350-588: The EMB 120s were sold in the United States and other countries across the Western Hemisphere . US airlines operating the type have included Great Lakes Airlines , which had six EMB 120s in its fleet, while Ameriflight was flying ten freighter-configured EMB 120s as late as 2022. The largest operator of the type in the United States was SkyWest Airlines , which operated more than 62 at one point in its history ( c. 2006 ). SkyWest retired
1400-412: The EMB 121 Xingu. Furthermore, the capacity was revised downwards from 30 to 24 seats. It had originally been designed to be powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW115 turboprop engine, which was capable of 1,500 shp, the aircraft was subsequently redesigned to make use of more powerful PW118 engines, which produced up to 1,892 shp. In terms of its basic configuration, the EMB 120 features
1450-470: The EMB 121. Its size, speed, and ceiling enabled faster and more direct services to be flown in comparison to similar aircraft. The EMB 120 features a circular cross-section fuselage, low-mounted straight wings and has a T-tail . On 27 July 1983, the prototype performed its maiden flight . During October 1985, the first EMB 120 entered service with Atlantic Southeast Airlines ; it quickly entered service with numerous regional airlines , particularly those in
1500-551: The EMB-121B Xingu III. Development of the Xingu III had been abandoned by 1984. The Xingu II, meanwhile, first flew on 4 September 1981, and was powered by two 750 shp (560 kW) PT6A-135 engines, giving increased performance. It replaced the original version in production after 29 had been built. Xingu Is could be modified to Xingu II standard, and that option was taken by several operators. Production of
1550-688: The FAA for a single operating certificate that would allow them to operate as a single carrier under the ExpressJet name making ExpressJet the largest regional airline in the world with more than 400 aircraft. As of January 2011, the Atlantic Southeast Airlines fleet consisted of the following aircraft with an average age of 8.4 years: Most CRJ aircraft were operated for Delta Connection , though 14 CRJ-200 aircraft were operated for United Express . Embraer Brasilia aircraft were retired from service in 2003, and aircraft that have not been sold are in storage at Hot Springs, Arkansas . The airline operated
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1600-591: The US market, was powered by two 850 shp (630 kW) PT5A-42 engines, and had more fuel, increasing the aircraft's range. It was initially designated Xingu II, but when development was slowed by Embraer concentrating on other programmes (such as the Tucano , Brasilia and AMX ), it was decided to introduce an interim improved version with more power as the EMB-121A1 Xingu II, and the stretched version became
1650-571: The United States. Its size, speed, and ceiling enable faster and more direct services to be flown around the US and Europe in comparison to similar aircraft. During October 1985, the first aircraft entered service with Atlantic Southeast Airlines . Numerous models would be developed to suit different operational circumstances; the EMB120RT featured a reduced take off weight, while the EMB120 cargo freighter had an elevated payload capacity of 4,000 kg;
1700-628: The World's Aircraft 1984-85 General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era [REDACTED] Media related to Embraer EMB 121 Xingu at Wikimedia Commons Atlantic Southeast Airlines Atlantic Southeast Airlines ( ASA ) was a regional airline in the United States based in the A-Tech Center in College Park , Georgia , flying to 144 destinations as
1750-749: The Xingu continued to 1987, with a total of 106 Xingus being built. Initial deliveries of the Xingu were mainly to customers in Brazil, both civil operators and the armed forces, with the Brazilian Air Force receiving six in 1978 for VIP transport. In September 1980, the Xingu was selected by the French Ministry of Defense for a multi-engine training aircraft for the French Air Force ( Armée de l'air ) and French Naval Aviation ( Aéronavale ) which would also be suitable for liaison duties for
1800-525: The airline returned the lease to the City of Atlanta in 2005 as part of its bankruptcy settlement. The city collected an insurance settlement of almost $ 900,000 as a result of the cancellation. The airline had its headquarters in Greater Atlanta for a 26-year span until December 2007. In 1985 Atlantic Southeast Airlines was headquartered in what is now College Park. In 1995 ASA was headquartered in
1850-466: The combined airlines was Friday, November 12, 2010. The combined airline will be based in Atlanta . At the time ExpressJet operated as Continental Express and United Express . The airline expected to be operating under one certificate 4th quarter of 2011. On July 13, 2011, Atlantic Southeast announced that it would change its name to "SureJet" after completion of its merger with ExpressJet . However,
1900-462: The entities change its call sign; ASA was the one to change since it had used ACEY for the least amount of time. June 27, 1999, ASA changed to call sign CAA "Candler" after the founder of Coca-Cola , Asa Candler (whose first name also forms the company's acronym). On March 15, 2006, ASA was allowed to change its call sign back to ACEY, after the New Mexico fighter unit was disestablished. Over
1950-454: The first regional partners. After only a few years as a true regional airline, the company was named 'Regional Airline of the Year' by Air Transport World in January 1987. ASA initiated jet service with introduction of British Aerospace BAe 146-200 aircraft in 1995. Two years later, the company began using Canadair CRJ200 regional jets for service from its Atlanta hub. CRJ service from
2000-549: The first time from Embraer's São Paulo factory on 10 October 1976. Testing resulted in a number of changes to improve performance and handling, including increasing wingspan by 0.4 m (1.3 ft) by adding swept wingtips, fitting a yaw damper and adding a large ventral fin. The first production aircraft made its maiden flight on 20 May 1977, and was exhibited at that year's Paris Air Show . The Xingu received its Brazilian type certificate in May 1977, followed by certification by
2050-619: The fleet in early 2015. Several European airlines, such as Régional in France, Atlant-Soyuz Airlines in Russia, DAT in Belgium, and DLT in Germany, also purchased EMB 120s. The EMB 120 has also proven itself to be popular amongst African operators. One of the biggest operators in the region was the charter operator Sahara African Aviation , which had flown as many as nine EMB 120ERs. Into
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2100-593: The following aircraft types at various times during its existence: Before the merger, it headquartered in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia , The City of Atlanta owns the facility, which now houses the Atlanta Police Department Helicopter Unit. In December 2007 the airline announced it was moving its headquarters into the A-Tech facility, a hangar at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport previously named
2150-486: The lowest rate of on-time performance, and the worst rate of mishandled baggage among all 19 US air carriers reporting to the US Department of Transportation for the full-year 2006. ASA's baggage handling performance improved slightly in 2007, but they once again ranked last out of all 20 reporting carriers for on-time performance. ASA is not directly responsible for the mishandled baggage problems since ASA baggage
2200-424: The lucrative US market. While the majority of sales were made to civilian operators, a few military customers were also garnered for the type; a specialised VIP transport version, the VC-97 , was operated by the Brazilian Air Force . Numerous models were developed to fulfil differing roles and requirements; these included the flexible EMB120 Convertible and the extended range EMB120ER . During 2001, production of
2250-725: The navy. The Xingu was selected ahead of the American Beechcraft King Air and Cessna 425 . A total of 41 aircraft were purchased, 25 for the French Air Force and 16 for the Navy, with deliveries completed by the end of 1983. The Brazilian Air Force's Xingus remained in service until 2010. The Xingu remained in French service in 2022, with 22 in Air Force and 10 in Navy service. Data from Jane's All
2300-423: The new 25-year ASA lease, which also gave the airline new hangar space to work on 15 to 25 aircraft in overnight maintenance; previously its aircraft were serviced at Concourse C. The airport property division stated that the hangar was built in the 1960s and renovated in the 1970s. Eastern Airlines and Delta Air Lines had previously occupied the hangar. Delta's lease originally was scheduled to expire in 2010, but
2350-535: The purchase by SkyWest, Inc. the decision was made to close ASA's Salt Lake City hub and transfer 12 of ASA's CRJ700s to SkyWest Airlines . Eventually only 4 of the 12 airplanes were transferred between the certificates. SkyWest Airlines also took delivery of the remainder of ASA's regional jet orders, as 5 additional CRJ700s and 17 CRJ900s. On June 1, 2006, ASA filed with the US Department of Transportation for an exemption to begin service from Los Angeles International Airport to nine Mexican destinations under
2400-555: The reaction of employee groups at both airlines was so negative that the new name was put on hold less than 24 hours after being announced. Brand information and press releases pertaining to "SureJet" were removed from Atlantic Southeast's public and employee websites and the company's combined identity was reconsidered. On October 14, 2011, the company announced that Atlantic Southeast's official company name would change to ExpressJet Airlines on December 31, 2011. On November 22, 2011, both Atlantic Southeast and ExpressJet gained approval from
2450-421: The years, ASA's ICAO identifier changed from ASE to CAA to ACY to ASQ.. The company went public when the initial stock offering was completed in 1982. The first of a fleet of Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante twin engine turboprop commuter airliners was delivered to ASA in December 1980. On April 1, 1983, the company acquired Southeastern Airlines . On May 1, 1984, ASA joined the Delta Connection program as one of
2500-424: Was first applied to the EMB 120. Reportedly, the concept had been heavily revised on the basis of suggestions that had been gathered from prospective operators attending Commuter Airline Association of America (CAAA) convention, and the renaming was to reflect the level of alteration to the EMB 120. Being a completely new aircraft, it was no longer related to the 12X family, and had effectively no parts in common with
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