The Embraer EMB 400 Urupema initially called IPD 6505 Urupema, is a Brazilian glider developed at Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica, São José dos Campos, in 1964, and later produced by Embraer.[1]
In 1964, a group of engineers led by Guido Fontegalante Pessotti began work on a high-performance glider, the IPD 6505 Urupema. The aircraft was intended to provide the best conditions for Brazilian pilots in world gliding championships. The prototype was started in 1965, but did not fly until 1968. In the same year, the prototype participated in the 1968 World Gliding Championships in Poland, and in 1970 in Marfa, Texas, where it won awards. Due to the excellent performance, the Ministry of Aviation, which wanted to provide the main domestic aeroclubs with new high-performance gliders, commissioned the newly founded Embraer aeronautical company to build 10 slightly modified examples in 1970, which were to be designated EMB-400 Urupema. The prototype was built by Pessotti, a Brazilian manufacturer of gliders.[1]
The Urupema was designed as a shoulder-wing monoplane with a conventional tail unit. In front of the wings in the fuselage is the single-seat cockpit with a one-piece canopy. Under the fuselage there is a single wheel. The aircraft was a construction of wood, sandwich panels, foam plastics and with plywood planking.