EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Troubleshooting; Physiological - Other; Time Pressure; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
After departing from ZZZ and climbing out of FL180; the First Officer (FO) and I smelled a strong odor of smoke and could visually see it in the cockpit. We called the flight attendants who were also seeing and smelling some smoke in the forward cabin area. We immediately donned our oxygen masks and established communication. FO was the pilot flying and also took the radios. He declared an emergency and got us turned back to ZZZ while I pulled out the QRC. We agreed that it seemed to be an electrical smell so I followed the QRC 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE OR SMOKE' checklist. The 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE OR SMOKE' checklist is quite intense and requires the RAT manual lever to be pulled. I hesitated for a moment and then determined that if we had decided that it smelled like electrical smoke I had no choice but to follow the checklist and I warned FO that I was deploying the RAT and that it would get loud in the cockpit. After receiving an incoming call from the flight attendants; and telling them to prepare the cabin; I continued the checklist and selected the IDG 1 to OFF. Again I hesitated to go down this checklist and then realised that there may not be any more smoke; so I took the mast off and didn't smell or see anything. I asked FO to do the same and we agreed there was no more smoke; so we agreed that I would discontinue the checklist. FO had the FMS set up for landing on XXL and I briefed the approach. I made an anouncement to the passengers and informed them of the situation. At about the final approach fix we again smelled smoke and donned our masks. After sellecting flaps 5; we received an EICAS for flap lever disagree and continued by selecting a slightly higher lannding speed. I did not have time to follow a QRH checklist at this point and just continued to landing. We realised that it would be an overweight landing an tried our best to land softly. After landing we received an EICAS 'PACK 1 FAIL'. There appeared to no longer be a smoke smell and did not evacuate the aircraft. After emergency personel determined that the exterior was clear; we proceeded to the gate.
EMB170 crew saw and smelled smoke after takeoff; completed The 'ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FIRE OR SMOKE' checklist and returned to departure airport.  Prior to landing the EICAS alerted for flap lever disagree but without time to run the procedure they continued to land.