The Cessna Sovereign was designed as a mid-size corporate business aircraft aimed at replacing aircraft such as the Falcon 10, Westwind and Sabreliner in the market.

The ERJ-135 program was launched on 26 September 1997 and the prototype made its first flight from the manufacturers based at Sao Jose do Campos, Brazil, on 4 July 1998, the company at that time holding orders for 73 aircraft plus options on a further 122. It (PT-ZJA) made