Could the humble turboprop’s best years be yet to come? Gordon Smith sits down with Embraer’s Martyn Holmes and Rodrigo Silva e Souza to discuss one of the industry’s hottest topics

Security-free airports, smoking mid-flight and popping into the cockpit to say a quick hello to the captain – all quirks of rather simpler times for aviation. Those were the days when the only ‘liquid rule’ to be concerned about was how many drinks one’s bladder could hold during those transitionary steps between the departure lounge bar and the aircraft. These slightly blurry, nostalgic times were also the heyday of the turboprop – an era which seems far removed from our own.

Within this context, there are general themes, trends and trajectories that transcend borders – among these is a creeping homogenisation of civil aircraft design and technology, with the jet engine considered king for most missions. There was therefore a healthy dollop of scepticism and surprise when Embraer – by most metrics the third largest OEM in commercial aerospace – hinted that they were investigating a possible clean-sheet turboprop platform. The Brazilian firm spied an opportunity, citing a lack of innovation in the market going back three decades. But surely this alleged dearth of development was testament to the fact that the turboprop is dying, if not already dead? If there was an appetite for someone to go in and shake things up, it would’ve been done by now? This impression is compounded by a commonly held perception that airlines, airports and passengers don't really like turboprops. They're noisy, they vibrate, they don't sell well. This would surely render Embraer's move as counterintuitive... not quite. Speak to the Embraer team and they'll tell you there is a market for the turboprop (or TP for short) – especially one that offers a ‘ jet-like’ passenger experience. The OEM highlights the all-important 50-seater market in the United States, and the enormous TP opportunities further afield as existing examples start to reach the end of their service lives – but can the Brazilians do it?

• Could this new platform disrupt the turboprop market? ALL IMAGES EMBRAER UNLESS STATED

Back to the future

Giving extra credibility to their business case is the fact that this is Embraer’s space – it’s where the company started with the pioneering EMB 110 Bandeirante five decades ago. The firm argues that they