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.
