Business & GA

Embraer has announced names and prices for the new concept jets it announced at NBAA last autumn. The new mid-light will be the Legacy 450, while the larger mid-size version will become the Legacy 500.

Speaking at today’s show as he unveiled a cabin mock-up of the Mid Size jet,, Luis Carlos Affonso senior vice president executive aviation said: “We announced in 2005 that we have registered three names, Phenom, Legacy and Lineage, so our families will come under these brands.”

Embraer is offering special introductory prices for the aircraft. The Legacy 450 is priced at $15.25 million and the 500 will cost $18.4m.

Luis Carlos Affonso inside the MSJ mock-up unveiled here this morning.

Both are clean-sheet designs, with around 95% commonality. The main difference is that the mid-size 500 has a longer fuselage. The jets will feature a large, stand-up cabin with an interior designed by BMW Group Designworks. Affonso says: “We are showing our mock-ups in Europe to get customer feedback before we freeze the final cabin.”

Both aircraft will have full fly-by-wire flight controls and be powered by Honeywell’s HTF7500E engine. Honeywell will also design the auxiliary power unit. The aircraft will feature Rockwell Collins’ Pro Line Fusion avionics.

The mid-light has a 2,300nm (4,074km) range with eight passengers, while the mid-size has a 3,000nm (5,180km) range. First deliveries of the Legacy 500 are scheduled for Q2 2012, with the 450 arriving in Q2 2013.

Embraer estimates the mid-size and mid-light categories could account for around a fifth of all business jet deliveries for the next decade.

The manufacturer also announced that its first full flight simulator for the Phenom will be operational at the end of the year at training provider CAE’s Dallas facility. The first version in Europe will be in place at Burgess Hill near London in 2009.

---

Flight's ACAS Buisness Aviation

Flight's 2008 pocket guide to business aircraft

For blogs, video, pictures, and more news from EBACE 2008, click here.

More news from EBACE 2008