What Are Those Weird Tubes On This KLM Embraer E195-E2?

A few weeks ago, KLM shared a technical update about the “unpacking” of one of their parked Cityhopper Embraer E195-E2s. The E2 generation of Embraers exclusively uses variants of the troubled Pratt and Whitney Geared Turbofan (GTF) PW1000G engines.

As a result, four of their E195-E2s were parked in long term storage since 2024 as there were long wait times while airlines waited for their engines to be fixed. The four jets were parked at Enschede Twente Airport, a part of Technology Base. As these aircraft would be grounded for some time, the aircraft underwent significant storage preparation including removing the wheels, engines, auxiliary power units (APU), and batteries.

Credit: Jason Vermeulen

On top of that, the entire aircraft was wrapped in a special film called the “cocoon” to protect the frame from the elements such as dust, moisture, UV exposure and other contaminants. In most cases, the film is wrapped onto the fuselage itself, but in KLM’s photos, you may have noticed several tubes running horizontally along the frame.

These tubes caused quite a bit of discussion online, many claiming the images were fakes and made with AI. It’s certainly not a usual sight, but it’s not as complex as some made it out to be.

Just like in the automotive world, car covers aren’t always encouraged especially if you park your car outside where it’s windy or damp. The tiniest bit of dust trapped between the covering and the paint layer can act as a micro abrasive when wind blows against it. Given that these aircraft were stored for more than one year, even with the best of protection, there is still the chance that moisture could seep in, resulting in mold build up and potential paint damage, which can especially be problematic with the massive temperature differences throughout the year.

Credit: Jason Vermeulen

The tubes which are strapped along the fuselage, serve an extremely simple role, acting as a spacer between the wrapper and the fuselage. This means that even when it gets windy, the cover does not rub against the paint, and the even if there is moisture seepage, it does not get trapped against the paintwork, reducing the likelihood of the growth of mold.

Now that Pratt and Whitney is finally getting a handle of the GTF engine issues, KLM is pulling their parked E2s out of storage and preparing them for reintroduction into the Cityhopper fleet. The aircraft in the pictures is registered PH-NXA, and was parked since June 2024.  

Once the wheels are reinstalled, the aircraft will then undergo a comprehensive check and an airworthiness inspection. Various modifications will also be implemented, such as the installation of Wi-Fi. This process takes approximately two months, after which the aircraft will be fully available again for KLM Cityhopper operations.

Once this aircraft is completed, the remaining two E195s will go through the same process, and should be reintroduced in fall 2026.

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