The Bandeirante aircraft project precedes the creation of Embraer. In June 1965, the IPD (Institute of Research and Development)—a department of the General Command of Aerospace Technology (CTA, then named the Aerospace Technical Center)—began the development of an aircraft project, then called IPD-6504 (because it was the fourth project of 1965), in accordance with the specifications ordered by the Ministry of Aeronautics.

The project was based on a study on the density of Brazilian commercial air traffic, especially in small towns, as well as on the length and type of airport runways, aiming at obtaining a modern airplane well suited to the country’s airport infrastructure at the time. The situation called for a small aircraft, a low-wing turboprop with capacity for eight people. On June 25, 1965, the development of the project by the CTA was approved by the Castelo Branco government.

It was Colonel Paulo Victor, the CTA director at the time, who christened the IPD-6504 aircraft “Bandeirante.” The moniker was symbolically loaded, harking back to the idea of the Bandeirantes (trailblazers) as pioneers of national integration.

In the mid-1960s, designing and manufacturing an airplane prototype could take about five years and require a great deal of investment. Despite the restrictive economic outlook and the political situation in Brazil at the time, which could have jeopardized the airplane project, the first Bandeirante prototype was built in three years and four months. On October 22, 1968, the Bandeirante took its first test flight; the whole team watched with bated breath. Four days later, at the airport in São José dos Campos, the first Bandeirante prototype made its first official flight demonstration. The Minister of Aeronautics and several State Ministers, as well as civil and military authorities, attended the event.

Once the first prototype was completed, the challenge of serially producing and marketing the aircraft emerged. As the program was up to par, it was given the green light by the government and on August 19, 1969, Embraer was set up, at first just to manufacture the Bandeirante aircraft, then known as EMB-100.

On October 19, 1969, the second Bandeirante prototype, still under the responsibility of the CTA team, took its maiden flight. On January 2, 1970, Embraer began to operate and took over production of the aircraft, fully producing the third prototype. Equipped as a remote-sensing research laboratory for the CNAE (National Commission on Space Activities), the third prototype took its first flight on June 29, 1970.

Despite the Bandeirante’s good performance, it was found that market conditions had changed since the project’s inception, and the eight seats the plane provided would no longer suffice. Embraer’s design team decided to overhaul the project, and so the EMB-110 Bandeirante came to be. This new aircraft was larger, with 12 seats in the military version, and it had some additional technical advances when compared with the first prototypes. With the changes in May of that year, Embraer struck one of its first deals with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB)—the manufacturing of 80 EMB-110 Bandeirantes. The EMB-100 version was no longer produced, limited to the three prototypes.

In June 1975, the first prototype of the Bandeirante took its last flight, from Santos Dumont Airport to Afonsos Air Base, where it remains on display at the Aeronautical Museum (Musal).

The second prototype was delivered to the Santos Dumont Foundation and remained in its care until October 2008, when Embraer promoted its restoration as part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the first flight of the Bandeirante prototype. The airplane was painted in its original colors and received a new interior, with items, textures and shades similar to the original version. In June 2009, it was transported to the Brazilian Aerospace Memorial (MAB) in São José dos Campos, where it will remain on display permanently.

The third prototype is on display at Parque Santos Dumont, also in São José dos Campos.

Product Name	Bandeirante
Embraer Code	EMB 100
Market niche	Defense Market
Start of the Project	June 25, 1965
Maiden flight	October 22, 1968 (first flight test)
Rollout	October 22, 1968
First Delivery	3rd prototype equipped with remote-sensing instruments delivered to CNAE (National Commission on Space Activities)
Evolution	The EMB 100 originated the EMB 110
End of production	1970

DIMENSIONS
Length	18,09 m	59,75 ft
Height	5,97 m	19,58 ft
Span	17,73 m	58,17 ft
PERFORMANCE
Maximum cruise speed	612 km/h	330 kt
Range (19 pax, with 91 kg each, IFR)	1.872 km	10,140 nm
Take off distance (maximum weight, SL, ISA)	1.300 m	4,265 ft
Landing Field Length (SL, ISA)	1.150 m	3,773 ft
Powerplant	2 TPF351-20, turboélice com 1300 shp cada	2 TPF351-20, with 1300 shp