E121The Embraer EMB-121 Xingu is a medium twin turboprop produced between 1977 and 1987. Price: the Embraer EMB-121 Xingu is out of production and, used, the market median is around US$ 1.2M. Median from Jet Tracker's price research as of 06/2026. It has a range of 1430 nm, a cruise speed of 230 kt (426 km/h), 9 seats (pilot included). In Brazil there are 20 active units in the RAB-ANAC, excluding cancelled registrations. There are 3 aircraft from this family for sale today, across 3 listings on the portals Jet Tracker tracks (global market, not Brazil only).
Source: RAB-ANAC (data as of 11/10/2026) and Jet Tracker catalog (spec sheet reviewed on 11/6/2026).
Index ≈ ×1.15 to ×1.40 on the aircraft value, already with ferry, ANAC nationalization, IPI and ICMS.
Market estimate: value + ferry + ANAC nationalization + taxes, no legal review. II, PIS and COFINS are 0% for aircraft (NCM 88.02); IPI is 6.5% (3.25% for air taxi) until Dec 31, 2026; ~4% ICMS only through a qualified importer (Agreement 75/91).
Operate = direct cost/hour (fuel + maintenance + engine); excludes fixed costs (hangar, crew, insurance). World: hourly rate published by charter operators. Brazil: charter is quoted per leg, so the hourly figure is an estimate from route quotes.
Median and price range for pre-owned aircraft, compiled by Jet Tracker from asking prices in listings and the price guides in the sources below, checked on 6/4/2026. 4 of 5 model years have an observed listing. The rest are estimates from the market curve between model years and are flagged in the chart.
PTAX · R$ 5.5765 / US$ · 11/10/2026
Market estimates for guidance only, not a firm quote. Confirm the value with a broker/appraiser before any transaction.
Embraer EMB-121 Xingu, Brazilian executive turboprop. Operated by the Air Force and civilians.
How much runway the EMB-121 Xingu needs to dispatch: the manual figure and what the charter (RBAC 135) rule requires.
No mandatory factoring: fits 455 of 465 Brazilian public runways.
Verdict per regime (private, charter dry and wet) across 465 Brazilian public runways, with the margin in meters.
Starter feature. Available on your Jet Tracker account.
Manufacturer-published distances at sea level, ISA and reference weight. Not corrected for altitude, temperature, wind or runway condition, takeoff included. Uses the declared LDA as a proxy for effective runway length (RBAC 135.361) and the most favourable threshold in calm air (135.385(b)(1)): on the day, wind may force the shorter threshold. Destination only: does not assess the alternate aerodrome (135.387). Not a substitute for the AFM or the operator's performance analysis. Rule: RBAC 135.385 and 135.398; private flying (RBAC 91) is not factored. Runways: declared distance (LDA) from AISWEB/DECEA (2026-09-05), checkable on each aerodrome chart; where DECEA publishes no declared distance, physical length from OurAirports is used.
The EMB-121 Xingu made its first flight on October 22, 1976 and received Brazilian CTA certification in 1977. It was Embraer's first project aimed specifically at the executive segment (not regional commuter like the Bandeirante), reflecting the company's strategy of diversifying markets as early as the 1970s, anticipating by decades the later success of the Phenom 100 and 300.
In 1981, the French Navy (Aéronavale) selected the EMB-121 Xingu as a trainer for multi-engine pilots, ordering 41 units, one of the largest foreign military contracts in Embraer's history at that point and the one that made the Xingu program economically viable. The aircraft are still operating today with Escadrille 52S at Lann-Bihoué, with retirement in favor of a modern trainer expected in the 2030s.
In 1977, when the Xingu was launched, it was the only pressurized executive turboprop built in Brazil, years before the pressurized regional EMB-120 Brasília (1985). It allowed flights above 25,000ft without oxygen, making it possible to operate above bad weather and on routes with high terrain. It was a technological milestone for the Brazilian aeronautical industry.
The Xingu is certified for single-pilot operation, placing it in the same owner-pilot segment as the King Air C90. With a distinct EMB-121 type rating and a low acquisition cost (USD 350k-850k), it attracts operators looking for a Brazilian-built pressurized twin turboprop without the maintenance cost of a C90 or the mandatory ADS-B upgrade of imported aircraft.
With only 106 units produced between 1977 and 1987 (51 of them exported), parts support for the Xingu is severely limited. Embraer discontinued official support and operators now depend on Brazilian PMA (Parts Manufacturer Approval) parts and cannibalization among operators. For the active civil fleet, this means longer downtime and growing maintenance costs, especially after 40+ years of operation.
With a cruise speed of 230kt and an operational ceiling of 26,000ft, the Xingu falls short of direct competitors of the era such as the King Air C90 (248kt, 28,100ft) and the King Air B200 (289kt, 35,000ft). For missions above 600nm or on routes with significant time pressure, the aircraft is less competitive, a limitation that contributed to its low commercial adoption outside military contracts.
The Xingu's relative commercial failure (vs. the 498 units of the Bandeirante in the same period) led Embraer to postpone its definitive entry into the executive segment by more than 20 years, only returning with the Phenom program in 2005. Had the Xingu sold 300+ units, Embraer would likely have developed an executive family in the 1980s alongside the ERJ. It is an interesting 'what if' in the company's history.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) received Xingus starting in 1979 with the military designations C-97 (transport) and VU-9 (utility/VIP), operating them mainly with the GTE (Special Transport Group) in Brasília for transporting officials and ministerial liaison. Some units underwent avionics modernization in the early 2000s and are still in operation in 2024, making the Xingu one of the longest-serving active aircraft in the FAB.
Sources: NTSB, CENIPA, Aviation Safety Network
CFIT (controlled flight into terrain)
13 operational aircraft owned by companies in the ANAC registry (RAB). Each opens the profile with owner, operator, status and history.
PP-EICPT-FAXPT-MAGPT-MAJPT-MAQPT-MAXPT-MAYPT-MBSPT-MBYPT-MCDPT-MSAPT-OUHPT-OZS
The Embraer EMB-121 Xingu is out of production, so there is no factory price. On the used market the median is around US$ 1.2M, varying with year and flight hours; see real listings on this model's Market tab. Reference value as of 06/2026.
The maximum range is 1430 nm (1,430 NM · 2,648 km).
Cruise speed is 230 kt, equivalent to 426 km/h.
The Embraer EMB-121 Xingu has 9 seats in total, counting the pilot seat: up to 7 passengers.
There are 20 active units in the RAB-ANAC (data as of 11/10/2026): operational, mark reservation or suspended, excluding cancelled registrations.
19 distinct operators operate 20 units of the Embraer EMB-121 Xingu in the RAB-ANAC: 2 in air taxi (RBAC 135) and 18 in private operation (RBAC 91), concentrated in SP, MG and GO (data as of 11/10/2026). Name, fleet and state of each operator are on this model's Analytics tab and in the operators directory.
Jet Tracker estimate: about US$ 2,423 per flight hour at 200 h/year, of which US$ 1,143 per hour is variable cost (fuel, engine program, maintenance reserves) plus US$ 256,000 per year of fixed cost (crew, hangar, insurance), under Jet Tracker's default assumptions (Southeast Brazil, in-house crew, 200 h/year). Run your own scenario on this model's Costs tab.