Embraer Executive Jets’ new Legacy 450 business jet has received type certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The approval comes a few weeks after the aircraft earned certification from Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC). 

“The FAA certification highlights our commitment to delivering innovative products that go beyond customer expectations. With its unique features, the Legacy 450 offers outstanding technology and performance, along with unsurpassed comfort and style,” says Marco Tulio Pellegrini, President and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets.  “The Legacy 450 is the first mid-light jet with full fly-by-wire technology and side-stick flight controls, which makes it easier to fly. The digital controls produce a smoother flight, improve performance, and reduce pilot workload.”

The Legacy 450 comfortably seats up to nine passengers and is the only mid-light jet featuring a 6-foot-tall cabin and a flat floor. Its cross section – 6 feet 10 inches – is the largest in class, five inches wider than its nearest competitor, says Embraer. Four fully reclining club seats may be berthed into two beds for complete rest in a 6,000-ft cabin altitude. The optional in-flight entertainment system consists of a high-definition video system, surround sound, and multiple audio and video input options. Voice and data communications options are also available. The cabin includes a refreshment centre at the entrance, a rear private lavatory with a vacuum toilet and an in-flight accessible baggage area. The total baggage space is the largest in the aircraft’s category.

The Legacy 450 is said to be the first business aircraft in its segment with full fly-by-wire technology, featuring side-stick flight controls, the state-of-the-art Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite with four 15.1-inch high resolution LCD displays, and capable of paperless operations, with graphical flight planning, Jeppesen charts and maps and a synthetic vision system. The optional Embraer Enhanced Vision System (E2VS) features a Head-up Display (HUD) and an EVS.

The Legacy 450 is powered by two advanced, fuel-efficient Honeywell HTF 7500E turbofan engines, said to be the greenest in their class. With a range of 2,575 nautical miles (4,769 km) with four passengers and NBAA IFR (National Business Aviation Association Instrument Flight Rules) reserves, the Legacy 450 is capable of flying nonstop from Los Angeles to Boston in the US, São Paulo to Lima (Peru), Moscow (Russia) to New Delhi (India), Singapore to Shanghai (China) or Beijing (China) to Bangkok (Thailand).

The first Legacy 450 delivery is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year.

Brazil’s Embraer is one of the world’s leading executive jet manufacturers, having entered the business aviation market in 2000 with the Legacy jet, which led to the launch of Embraer Executive Jets in 2005. 

Embraer Executive Jets portfolio consists of the entry-level Phenom 100E and the Phenom 300 light jet, the Legacy 500 midsize and Legacy 450 mid-light, the super midsize Legacy 600 and large Legacy 650, and the ultra-large Lineage 1000E. 

Completing ten years in the market, Embraer Executive Jets’ global fleet exceeds 860 aircraft, which are in operation in more than 60 countries and are supported by the company’s global customer support and services network of 76 owned and authorized service centres, complemented by a 24/7 contact centre, at its headquarters, in Brazil.