Type Regional Jet
Embraer E175
Watch the regional gates at any US hub and you're watching E175s. SkyWest, Republic, Envoy, and their peers operate hundreds of them under United Express, Delta Connection, and American Eagle paint, which makes this Brazilian-built jet the statistically likely home of your first airline type rating.
Crews genuinely like the airplane: the flight deck runs big Honeywell displays with sensible automation, the wing rides turbulence better than the commuter turboprops it replaced, and the 2-2 cabin with no middle seats keeps passengers off your case. As first jets go, pilots call it an honest one.
- Seats
- 70 to 76 in US service
- Engines
- Two GE CF34-8E
- Cruise
- Mach .78 class
- Range
- About 2,000 nm
- Deck
- Honeywell Primus Epic
- Role
- First airline type rating
Representative figures for the type. Model year and configuration move the numbers.
The Seat It Represents
US scope agreements cap most E175s at 76 seats, and that contractual quirk is why the type dominates: it's the biggest jet the regionals are allowed to fly for their major partners. For you that means steady hiring, fast upgrades during retirement waves, and turbine PIC time that majors respect.
New hires typically spend two to eight weeks in ground school, then earn the type rating entirely in the simulator before flying a passenger trip. Expect four-leg days into smaller cities, real weather, and the fastest experience-building in civil aviation.
Student Questions, Answered
How do I end up flying an E175 specifically?
Hit ATP minimums, apply to the regionals flying it, and let the base you're assigned decide the fleet. SkyWest, Republic, and Envoy run the big E175 operations; their cadet programs let you lock the pipeline in during training.
What's the type rating process like for a new hire?
Weeks of systems ground school, then full-motion simulator sessions building to a checkride, all before touching the real airplane with passengers. The airline pays for it and pays you a salary while you sweat through it.
Is regional flying just a stepping stone?
For most, yes, and the flow agreements formalize it. But upgrade to E175 captain and the seat pays six figures with real command experience, which is exactly what the majors are buying when they call.
Where It Fits On Your Path
Reach ATP or R-ATP minimums and this jet is the realistic next line in your logbook. A thousand hours of E175 time later, major-airline recruiters return your calls.
Related Aircraft
- CRJ900: Regional Jet
- Boeing 737: Narrowbody Airliner
- Back to the full aircraft guide
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