Embraer E190 (X-Crafts)

The Embraer E190 by X-Crafts captures the core benchmark airframe of Embraer’s E-Jet family for X-Plane 12. Seating between 96 and 114 passengers in real airline configurations, the E190 fundamentally altered airline route economics by delivering mainline passenger capacity, full fly-by-wire flight control laws, and transcontinental range in an efficient twinjet package. Powered by two General Electric CF34-10E turbofans generating up to 20,000 pounds of thrust apiece, the real-world aircraft earned legendary fleet standing with operators including JetBlue, KLM Cityhopper, British Airways (BA CityFlyer), Lufthansa CityLine, TAP Express, and Austral.

Understanding the Payware vs. Free Editions: Similar to its sister variants, simmers will encounter two versions of the aircraft: X-Crafts' free community edition (released to celebrate the studio's 10-year milestone) and the full commercial payware package cataloged here. While the freeware edition offers an accessible introduction, it operates with simplified default X-Plane flight director modes, manual throttle settings during climbs, and reduced texture layers. The $74.95 commercial package represents the true procedural product: it features custom dual Flight Management Systems (FMS Load 27 emulation), fully managed vertical navigation (VNAV) with Top of Descent (TOD) calculations, automated FMS speed scheduling, autothrottle integration, and bespoke fly-by-wire envelope logic.

On the flight deck, the E190 models Embraer’s Primus Epic avionics across five high-contrast screens with custom synoptics, automated fuel routing, and autobrake modes. A standout operational capability of the E190 over its longer sibling (the E195) is certified Steep Approach Mode. When toggled, the flight control computers automate spoiler deployment to facilitate stable $5.5^\circ$ descent profiles into space-restricted, noise-sensitive downtown airfields such as London City Airport (EGLC) or Lugano (LSZA). Combined with an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) offering direct SimBrief integration, an ambient lighting modifier engineered to eliminate dark flight-deck shadows in native X-Plane 12, and a multi-channel FMOD sound suite with simulated noise-cancelling headphones, the X-Crafts E190 stands as one of the most versatile regional twinjets in desktop simulation.

Primary Missions & Operational Roles

• Steep Approach & Downtown City Airport Operations: Flying certified $5.5^\circ$ steep glide-path approaches into constrained downtown airports like London City (EGLC) and Lugano (LSZA) utilizing the E190's dedicated Steep Approach system.

• European & North American Hub-and-Spoke Trunk Routes: Connecting high-frequency mainline hubs to secondary regional business centers (e.g., JetBlue Northeast corridors, KLM Cityhopper European rotations, or TAP Express regional routes).

• High-Automation Airline Operations: Practicing modern commercial airline cockpit workflows with dual independent FMS navigation, coupled LNAV/VNAV paths, FMS speed scheduling, and autothrottle management.

• High-Tempo Multi-Leg Turnarounds: Executing 30-to-40-minute airport gate turns using the window-mounted EFB tablet for SimBrief flight plan import, dynamic weight and balance loading, and quick turnaround preflight flows.