Embraer ERJ 145 & ERJ 145XR (X-Crafts)

The Embraer ERJ 145 & ERJ 145XR package by X-Crafts brings the quintessential 50-seat regional workhorse of turn-of-the-century commercial aviation into native X-Plane 12. As the foundational flagship from which the entire ERJ program spawned, the baseline ERJ 145 fundamentally transformed airline route economics in the late 1990s and 2000s, replacing noisy, slow regional turboprops with swift, jet-powered hub feed. Flown globally by legacy regional carriers—most notably American Eagle (Piedmont Airlines, Envoy), Continental Express / United Express (ExpressJet), Chautauqua Airlines, Trans States, Luxair, Flybe, and bmi regional—the 50-passenger pencil jet connected small regional outposts to central hubs across North America, South America, and Europe.

Differentiating the ERJ 145 and the ERJ 145XR: Packaged as a dual-airframe release, X-Crafts models both the standard airline workhorse and its extended-range evolution:

• ERJ 145 (Standard / LR): Powered by twin rear-mounted Rolls-Royce (Allison) AE 3007A1 powerplants producing 7,420 pounds of thrust apiece, cruising comfortably up to Mach 0.76 with an operational range of approximately 1,550 nautical miles. It features clean wingtips, classic fuel tank plumbing, and standard regional gross takeoff weights (48,501 lbs / 22,000 kg).

• ERJ 145XR (Extra Long Range): Engineered to extend regional jet mission profiles out to 2,000 nautical miles (enabling 4-hour point-to-point routes), the XR is equipped with higher-output Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1E engines generating 8,110 pounds of thrust. Aerodynamically, the XR is instantly recognizable by its blended winglets, aft fuselage ventral strakes (which reduce high-Mach aerodynamic drag), an auxiliary fuselage fuel tank with dedicated fuel balancing logic, an increased maximum takeoff weight of 53,131 pounds (24,100 kg), and an upgraded maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.78.

In native X-Plane 12, both airframes are built under X-Crafts' completely redesigned "v2" generation. The flight dynamics—engineered in partnership with Cameron Son (X-Aerodynamics) and verified by type-rated ERJ line pilots—capture the responsive, direct hydromechanical control feel with artificial feel units that earned the ERJ its reputation as the "sports car of regional jets." Unlike the shorter E135 and E140, the extended fuselage of the 145 and 145XR requires disciplined pitch control: rotation rates must be held strictly to 2 degrees to 3 degrees per second, and flares must remain flat to avoid dragging the aft fuselage on the runway.

On the flight deck, the aircraft features Honeywell’s Primus 1000 avionics suite across five high-contrast CRT/LCD screens (dual PFDs, dual MFDs, and a central EICAS) alongside an authentic Thrust Rating Panel (TRP) for setting FADEC takeoff, climb, and cruise detents. Route navigation is driven by a custom Flight Management System (FMS) capable of executing real-world procedures including holding patterns, flyover waypoints, DME arcs, and custom radials. To flatten the learning curve of classic Honeywell regional workflows, X-Crafts integrates their AirComms™ interactive guidance copilot—delivering contextual prompt checklists and audio/visual reminders from cold-and-dark to shutdown. Supported by an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) offering direct SimBrief dispatch, takeoff/landing performance calculators, and AviTab integration, the ERJ 145 / 145XR package delivers an authentic, high-tempo regional commuter experience.

Primary Missions & Operational Roles

• North American 50-Seat Regional Hub Feed: Recreating classic 45-to-90-minute regional rotations under American Eagle, United Express, or Delta Connection banners connecting spoke communities to major hub networks (e.g., Charlotte to Tri-Cities, Chicago O'Hare to Green Bay, or Houston Intercontinental to Corpus Christi).

• Extended-Range Point-to-Point Regional Routes (XR): Flying long, thin trans-regional corridors up to 2,000 nautical miles utilizing the ERJ 145XR’s auxiliary fuel tank and aerodynamic winglets (e.g., secondary Midwest spoke airports directly to Florida leisure destinations).

• European Regional Commuter Operations: Operating scheduled regional feeder rotations for carriers like Luxair, Flybe, Portugália (TAP Express), or LOT Polish across Western and Central Europe.

• Hands-On Throttle & Energy Management Training: Mastering regional airliner flying without autothrottles, requiring continuous manual power and pitch coordination across climb, level-off, step climbs, and final approach.

• Stretched Regional Jet Pitch Discipline: Training precise rotation speeds (Vr), pitch rate awareness (2 degrees to 3 degrees per second), and touchdown flare timing on a long-fuselage airframe with narrow tailstrike clearance.