Expense Ultimately Doomed Fast, Quiet CBA-123 Vector

Unconventional engineering effort was a clean-sheet reimagining of the 19-seat airliner that later fueled development of the ERJ-135/145 series of regional jets.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 10:43 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

From directly below, the CBA-123’s unique wing and unconventional engine configuration are plainly visible. [Credit: Kev Slade]

Key Takeaways:

The Embraer CBA-123 Vector was an unconventional 19-seat turboprop airliner developed jointly by Embraer and FMA in 1986, aiming to utilize new technologies for a better-performing aircraft.
It featured innovative rear-mounted pusher propellers, which significantly reduced cabin noise and vibration, and a unique high-aspect-ratio clean wing designed for minimal drag.
These design choices resulted in superior performance, including a cruise speed of 328 knots (50-150 knots faster) and a higher operating altitude compared to other 19-passenger turboprops.
Despite initial airline interest, the program was canceled in the early 1990s because its final price doubled from the target, making it too expensive for airlines to justify the premium, though its development informed Embraer's successful regional jets.

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Airliner design, by and large, tends not to embrace the unconventional.

Whether jet or turboprop, we generally see only two general layouts—engines mounted on the wing or aft pylons, and propellers are almost exclusively mounted on the wing. Chalk the lack of variety up to convergent evolution or to operators and markets that favor conservative predictability, but it’s a reality that was almost universally adhered to by major airframe manufacturers.