Gallery: Converting Embraer ERJ Aircraft From Regional to Business Jets

C&L Aviation Services has been completing specialized conversions of Embraer ERJ family regional aircraft into semi-private business or luxury jets since 2018. The Bangor, Maine-based aftermarket services provider says demand for the conversions has only increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. Read on to find out more about what goes into these unique conversions and how C&L is expanding its capabilities for the aircraft types.

According to Phil Miholovich, senior vice president of projects at C&L Aviation, the ERJ has been an attractive aircraft for customers looking to operate aircraft in a Part 135 environment due to its price and size, since demand for the 50-seat aircraft market tends to fluctuate and it is easy to get the interior down to less than 30 seats.

C&L has performed more than 20 ERJ conversions so far ranging from 16- to 30-seat conversions. While most of these conversions are performed on ERJ aircraft that are brought to C&L by customers, the company does sell and lease its own ERJs which can also be converted.

The conversions take approximately 4-5 months and are customized depending on customer requirements, ranging from relatively modest interiors to top-of-the-line luxury finishes. Miholovich says the conversions typically require a complete refurbishment of the interior, including replacing ceiling panels and valance panels, LED lighting upgrades and various options for power conversion and storage. Since Embraer ERJ 135/145 aircraft have an offset aisle, a major step involves removing the overhead bins.

In early August 2021, C&L received an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for its 16-passenger business class seating and floor leveling solution for the ERJ 135. The STC certifies structural modifications for seat track relocation, which enables a center aisle with extended width and a 1x1 business class seating arrangement with 43-in. seat pitch and extended reclining capabilities. The STC also includes galley improvements to increase beverage capacity.

The new STC’s modifications require C&L to perform another STC in conjunction, which removes cabin overhead bins, installs new ceiling and valance panels, and introduces continuous run LED lighting and an additional row of overhead lighting.

C&L is working on an STC amendment to include the ERJ 145 for this modification, which will enable it to accommodate up to 24 seats. It expects FAA approval for the STC to be obtained by the end of 2021.

C&L is also developing several other ERJ upgrades, including upgrades to the flight management system and a new first-class seat design. In May 2021 it signed a contract for multiple ERJ 135/145 semi-private aircraft modifications that convert the aircraft to a 16-23 seat first-class format. The design includes in-seat power, LED lighting, Wi-Fi, upgraded leather interior seating, and installation of a premium Bongiovi speaker-less cabin audio system.

Although many of C&L’s ERJ conversion project plans were in place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Miholovich says demand has increased due to customers looking for solutions that enable more luxurious and socially-distanced travel. He says C&L continues to see interest from customers even though the commercial air transport market has started to pick back up.

One ongoing ERJ conversion project C&L is focused on is its 2018 contract with JetSuiteX. Under the contract, C&L is providing interior aircraft refurbishment, engineering and exterior paint services to convert multiple ERJ 145 aircraft from standard regional aircraft to a luxury, 30-seat interior. The project includes new seat designs, upgraded interior panels and lavatories, LED lighting, Wi-Fi, electrical outlets and custom exterior paint.

According to C&L, its in-house engineering group and teardown capabilities provide an extra boost to the ERJ conversion projects. The company performs ERJ teardowns on-site or through partner companies to boost its parts inventory. In April 2021, it purchased nine ERJ 145s from a European operator for teardown. Removed parts will be stored at its global warehouses, with the majority being stored at C&L’s main headquarters in Bangor, Maine.

”We support operators around the world in a variety of ways, including spare parts supply and exchanges to power-by-the-hour programs and consignment inventories,” says Warrick Hood, senior vice president, C&L Aerospace. “Having parts on-site at our MRO facility in Maine is a huge benefit for our ERJ maintenance customers as well.”

”From a maintenance standpoint, having parts on hand ready to go is very attractive to the customers at the end of the day,” adds Miholovich. “One of the big advantages we have is we’re not paying shipping, we have it right there and we know what we’re getting.”