Embraer has delivered the 1,200th Ipanema aircraft, which is the first in a series of agricultural aircraft certified to run on ethanol (hydrous ethanol).
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In 2011 the company sold 58 aircraft in Brazil and the Mercosur region, reporting an increase of 45% over the previous year.
Embraer Ipanema sales manager Fabio Carretto said: "The evolution of the Ipanema, with its new technologies, has transformed the airplane into a symbol of aviation sustainability."
"The product’s reliability has been proven, throughout more than 40 years of uninterrupted production," Carretto said.
"Studies are constantly made to improve the aircraft, which is now powered by ethanol, focusing on customers’ needs and the sustainability of agribusiness."
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By GlobalDataThe Ipanema is a single-seat and low-wing monoplane which is powered by an IO-540-K1J5 engine from 320HP to 300HP for ethanol and gasoline at 2,700RPM and propeller bladed Hartzell constant speed.
The 1,200th aircraft was delivered to Sana Aviacao Agricola, increasing its fleet of Ipanema aircraft to 35. The company received its first aircraft in 1977 and currently operates 12 Ipanema aircraft.
Sana Agro Aérea owner Bruno Vasconcelos said: "The main advantages of the Ipanema over land-based spraying machines are its lower operating cost, greater output, and less environmental impact."
"The airplane is very adequate for the needs of companies like ours, which seek to offer customers a competitive edge in the spraying business," Vasconcelos said.
The aircraft is mainly used for crop dusting, which avoids crops being crushed by machinery tires while making the operation more flexible.
The aircraft can also be used for fighting fires, seeding rivers with fish, and spraying pesticides to protect against insects and larvae.
Image: Ipanema agricultural aircraft is used for crop dusting, fighting fires, seeding rivers with fish and spraying pesticides. Photo: Embraer.
