Aircraft overview

The Embraer EMB-202 Ipanema is a Brazilian agricultural aircraft built for crop spraying, seeding and related aerial application work. It was developed by Embraer and produced by its Neiva operation as an evolution of the earlier Ipanema line. The EMB-202 entered service in the 1990s, with the ethanol fueled EMB-202A certified in 2004. Its importance is practical rather than glamorous: it is one of Brazil’s best known agricultural aircraft and was designed around local operating needs, including rough airstrips, high utilization and ease of maintenance.

Performance & specifications

The EMB-202 Ipanema is a single engine, low wing, tailwheel agricultural aircraft with one pilot and a chemical hopper of about 950 liters. Typical published figures for the EMB-202 include a cruise speed of about 113 knots, maximum speed around 124 knots, range close to 330 nautical miles and a service ceiling of about 13,000 feet. Power is supplied by a 300 hp Lycoming IO-540 series six cylinder piston engine on the conventional avgas model. The EMB-202A uses an ethanol compatible version of the same general powerplant family. Actual performance depends heavily on hopper load, spray equipment, field elevation, temperature and mission profile.

Cabin & avionics

The aircraft has a single seat cockpit, not a passenger cabin. Visibility, control access and spray system management are the priorities. Equipment is typically functional and mission specific, with basic flight instruments, VHF communication, engine gauges and agricultural application controls. A Garmin Perspective or G1000 suite is not typical for this model. Many working aircraft instead use agricultural GPS guidance, lightbar systems, flow controllers, boom section controls and mapping equipment added by operators or specialist installers.

Buying & value

Used EMB-202 Ipanema buyers should focus on airframe condition and work history. Agricultural aircraft live in a demanding environment, so inspections should pay close attention to corrosion, chemical residue, hopper integrity, spray booms, pumps, valves, plumbing, tailwheel gear, fabric or skin condition as applicable, and the quality of maintenance records. Engine time, propeller condition and evidence of regular cleaning after chemical operations are especially important.

The main distinction in the used market is between the conventional EMB-202 and the ethanol fueled EMB-202A. Common upgrades include modern agricultural GPS, improved flow control, updated spray hardware and engine or propeller overhauls. Market positioning is specialized: the EMB-202 Ipanema is not a utility aircraft or trainer, but a purpose built piston agricultural platform, often valued for operating simplicity and parts familiarity in regions where the Ipanema fleet is established.