With the Embraer Legacy 450 making its NBAA debut this week, the airframer’s entire business jet family is finally together in one place.
The 450 joins the Legacy 500 and 650, as well as its smaller Phenom 100 and 300 siblings and Lineage 1000 big brother on the static display. NBAA marks the first public appearance of the 450, which is scheduled for FAA certification in mid-2015.
A slightly smaller, four-seat version of the Legacy 500, the 450 still sports a 1.83m-high, flat-floor cabin, a custom designed interior and Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion flightdeck with full fly-by-wire flight controls.
Embraer Executive Jets chief executive Marco Tulio Pellegrini says the advanced cockpit is selling the jets by itself, regardless of the best-in-class cabin dimensions and amenities.
“Unless you fly, touch and feel it, it’s impossible to discuss,” he says. “It was a good learning process for us in bringing in that airplane, the cabin, and understanding the customer requirements,” Pellegrini adds. “We have had good success with the Legacy program.”
Embraer has had notable success at the smaller end of the business aviation market, despite being a relative latecomer to the sector. However, it has no plans at present to extend its reach beyond the midsize segment to take on the likes of Gulfstream, says Pellegrini. Instead it will solidify the inroads the Legacy family has made into the mid-light market before it "prepares for the next round".
“What’s fundamental for us is to consolidate our position with a strong presence in the US, with very robust customer support and then jump to the large segment with an outstanding offer."
The Brazilian airframer will eventually begin producing the Legacy models at its Melbourne, Florida factory where it has assembled 80 Phenom 100 and 300 jets over the past three years. The first Legacy is scheduled to roll off the line in the second half of 2016.
The existing 80,000ft2 (7,430m2) facility will be expanded to 236,000ft2 to accommodate production of both Legacy models.
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Source: Flight Daily News
