Brazilian company Embraer Defense and Security has chosen the actuator system made by Sagem (Safran group) for the horizontal stabilizer trim system (HSTS) on their new KC-390 military transport and tanker aircraft. The first flight of the KC-390 is scheduled for 2014.

The horizontal stabilizer trim system enables the pilot to control the horizontal stabilizer trim as efficiently as possible to keep the aircraft's attitude stable, while also minimizing the aerodynamic control forces to fly the plane. The HSTS makes a critical contribution to flight safety, and the innovative solution developed by Sagem, with electrically-driven actuators, offers more efficient electronic control of the system.

The decisive factors in Embraer's choice of this system were the Sagem's cost competitiveness and the proven ability of the company to produce a high-performance and integrated system.

According to Sagem Chairman and CEO Philippe Petitcolin, " Embraer's choice confirms the technology decisions we have made concerning next-generation electrical actuators. Our system selected for this aircraft fully reflects the emerging concept of 'more electric' aircraft. Another feature is its dual technology compatibility, since it will be equally at home on tomorrow's military or civil aircraft."

The development work on this new system will be carried out at Sagem's R&D center in Massy, near Paris.