EMB 820C Navajo

The Embraer EMB 820C Navajo is a twin‑engine, pressurised turboprop that emerged from Brazil’s burgeoning aerospace industry in the early 1970s. Launched in 1972 as a stretched, more powerful version of the original EMB 820, the Navajo made its first flight on 22 March 1972 and entered series production the following year. Between 1973 and 1987 Embraer built 322 units, offering an eight‑to‑nine‑seat cabin, a maximum cruising speed of 250 knots, a range of roughly 1,200 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of 30,000 feet. Power is supplied by two Pratt & Whitney PT6A‑27 engines, whose reliability and fuel‑efficient performance helped the aircraft become a staple for corporate travel, regional airlines, and air‑ambulance operators. The Navajo’s straightforward steel‑tube fuselage, retractable tricycle gear, and modern avionics of its era gave it an excellent blend of durability and ease of maintenance. Its versatility also led to military variants such as the C‑95 and U‑27, used by the United States Air Force and several Latin‑American air forces. The EMB 820C cemented Embraer’s reputation for producing economical, high‑performance transport aircraft and paved the way for later successes like the EMB‑120 Brasilia and the regional jet family that defines the company today.