Embraer Preps Legacy 500 for Start of Flight Trials

Stephen Pope

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 07:28 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Embraer is nearing completion of its first Legacy 500 business jet, with flight testing scheduled to begin by the end of the year and certification targeted for late next year.
The Legacy 500 shares 95% commonality, including Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics and fly-by-wire controls, with the slightly smaller Legacy 450, which will follow in certification about a year later.
With the addition of the Legacy 500 and 450, Embraer will offer a full family of executive jets, from Phenom models to the larger Legacy 600/650 and Lineage 1000.

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Embraer is nearing completion of the first Legacy 500 twin-engine business jet, allowing the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer to start flight testing of the $18.4 million (2008 dollars) model on schedule by the end of this year.

The Legacy 500 is a slightly larger version of the Legacy 450, with which it shares 95 percent commonality, including the same Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics and fly-by-wire flight controls. Certification of the new model is targeted for late next year, with the $15.25 million Legacy 450 to follow about a year later.