 |
| Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Marcia Donner Abreu, front row ninth from left, and Brazilian aerospace company Embraer's Chief Commercial Officer Martyn Holmes, front row eight from left, hold a placard with North Gyeongsang Province officials to commemorate the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the province and Embraer at Pohang Gyeongju Airport in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, May 15. Yonhap |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer performed a demonstration flight between Seoul and the southeastern port city of Pohang and then over to Ulleung Island, May 15, to show the capability of the mid-sized E190-E2 passenger plane.
On board were around 80 guests, including Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Marcia Donner Abreu, Embraer Chief Commercial Officer Martyn Holmes and North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo.
Donner wrote about the demo flight which brought them "from Pohang to Ulleung Island, where a new airport will be in operation in 2025," welcoming the new initiative between the two countries on her Twitter.
The Brazilian aircraft maker specializes in the development and production of mid-sized aircraft and the E190-E2 showcased its capabilities in Korea, executing a simulated landing on a runway just 1,066 meters in length at Pohang Gyeongju Airport and circling over Ulleung Island.
The performance was part of the Embraer's strategy to enter the Korean market, with a particular focus on Ulleung Airport, which is currently under construction. Scheduled for completion by 2025 and operational by 2026, the airport, built on reclaimed land, will feature a 1,200-meter runway, suited for the E190-E2.
 |
| Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Marcia Donner Abreu, first from left, speaks with Brazilian plane maker Embraer's Chief Commercial Officer Martyn Holmes during a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at Pohang Gyeongju Airport in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, May 15. Yonhap |
The inauguration of Ulleung Airport is set to revolutionize transport to and from the island on the East Sea, located 120 kilometers east of the Korean peninsula. Currently, residents and visitors rely exclusively on maritime transportation, a situation that will drastically change once the airport becomes operational.
While the initial plan for the airport was to accommodate only turboprop aircraft with a capacity of up to 50 passengers, studies have proposed extending the limit to include 80-seater aircraft, such as the E190-E2 jet plane, which led to the Embraer plane's demonstration flight.
Embraer also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the North Gyeongsang provincial government to promote cooperation in the aviation sector. Under the agreement, Embraer and North Gyeongsang Province aim to establish and develop facilities related to aviation industry training and maintenance within the region.
![[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/bcc387606cf7451c94f51a5978960c9f.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] 'Cobweb' director questions meaning of cinema](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/a029c9ea411f4aef94c6310f6a7c3c54.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
![[INTERVIEW] Seoul's increased art market momentum brings Sotheby's back to Korea](https://img.koreatimes.co.kr/upload/thumbnailV2/3439cc1e2d744b85ab81fdcf6f045ba5.jpg/dims/resize/178/optimize)
