As Embraer is getting closer to first flight of its midsize, midrange, fly-by-wire Legacy 450 business jet, the shorter version of the soon-to-be certified Legacy 500, the company announced some final design tweaks at a press conference at NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas, which opens its doors tomorrow. A Legacy 450 mockup is featuring a newly designed interior, available for both the 450 and the 500, and a Legacy 500 is also on display at the static display at the Henderson Executive Airport at the southern edge of the city.
The interior was conceived by BMW DesignWorks USA and has been in the making since 2005. Several changes were made along the way and extended trips have been conducted in the Legacy 500 to optimize the features for longer journeys. There are light details under the tables that provide dim lighting for the flat floor and club seats can be turned into full flat beds. Cabin entertainment connections and cup holders are hidden in the side ledges, which also hold speakers for the entertainment system and can be adorned with veneer or leather for a luxurious feel.
Honeywell’s Ovation Select Cabin Connection Suite provides entertainment through high definition video and surround sound, and full connectivity through Inmarsat, Iridium or Aircell. Pilots up front also enjoy the latest technology with Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics, featuring four 15-inch high-resolution displays that offer all the cockpit necessities that pilots have come to expect plus head-up guidance, EVS and graphical systems monitoring.
Passengers seated in the luxurious new interior of the Legacy 450 will also have more legroom than previously announced as Embraer has decided stretch the fuselage by a total of six inches, making the cabin length a full 24 feet with tables available for each seat in the back. Embraer has also stretched the IFR range by 200 nm to 2,500 nm with four passengers and two pilots by increasing the fuel capacity and the maximum takeoff weight of the Legacy 450.
The Legacy 500 test platforms have accumulated more than 650 hours of flight-testing. In addition, the iron bird simulator has undergone more than 4,500 hours of testing and more than 16,000 hours of systems testing has been completed to date. Certification for the Legacy 500 is expected by the middle of next year while the Legacy 450 is expected to fly before the end of the year and enter service about one year after its bigger sibling.
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