Embraer will be out in force at the 2015 Dubai Airshow as part of a drive to win orders for both its commercial and business jets at the biennial event which will be held this November in Dubai, UAE.

Marco Tulio Pellegrini, the President and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets, is expected be at the air show along with other senior officials, and the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer will be showcasing its new midsize Legacy 500 among other jets at the event, according to Nilma Missir-Boissac, Communications Manager for Embraer Asia-Pacific.

The Legacy 500 is said to have the best-in-class six-foot flat-floor cabin, which is comparable to those of some aircraft in the super midsize category. Eight club seats may be berthed into four beds for complete rest in a cabin altitude of 6,000 ft. 

The in-flight entertainment system consists of a high-definition video system, surround sound, multiple audio and video input options, a cabin management system, and three options for voice communications and connectivity.

The Legacy 500 is also said to be the first midsize business jet with digital flight controls, based on fly-by-wire technology, featuring side sticks. 

A state-of-the-art Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite on four 15-inch high-resolution LCD (liquid crystal display) displays allows graphical flight planning, and has options like paperless operations capability, auto brakes, and the E2VS (Embraer Enhanced Vision System), which includes a Head Up Display (HUD) with the Enhanced Vision System (EVS).

The Legacy 500 is capable of flying at 45,000 ft and is powered by two Honeywell HTF7500E engines, said to be the greenest in their class. Taking off from airfields as short as 4,084 ft, the jet has a range of 3,125 nautical miles (5,788 km) with four passengers, including NBAA IFR (National Business Aviation Association instrument flight rules) fuel reserves, which enables it to fly non-stop from Los Angeles in the US to Honolulu in Hawaii, or Teterboro in the US to London in the UK.


SUCCESS

The Legacy 500 entered the market in October 2014 and has notched up successes across the world since its debut.

In May, Middle East Airlines – Airliban (MEA) revealed it will take delivery of a Legacy 500 later this year as it launches its business jet service.

This follows MEA placing an order for one Legacy 500 and an option for a second. The delivery of this aircraft is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2015. 

MEA, the national airline of Lebanon, is establishing a business jet company to offer charter flights, with the base of its operations at its headquarters at Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut. 

Commenting on the order, Pellegrini says Embraer is “elated” that MEA has selected the Legacy 500 for its new charter business fleet. “The Legacy 500 will certainly delight passengers and pilots alike, and deliver the efficient performance and low-cost operation required for a successful charter business.”

“The Legacy 500 brings the comfort, technology and performance that will enable us to offer customers a premium travel experience,” says Mohamad El-Hout, Chairman-Director General of MEA. “The on-board features and amenities make this aircraft the ideal charter jet for our market and our customers. For example, the Legacy 500 allows our clients to fly direct from Beirut to London City Airport.”

From its home base in Beirut, MEA flies to 30 international destinations in Europe, the Middle East and West Africa. Since 2003, the airline has carried out an ambitious fleet renewal programme, and is currently operating four Airbus A330-200s, two Airbus A321s and 11 A320s.

Meanwhile in August, Embraer Executive Jets delivered the first Legacy 500 midsize jet to a customer in Mexico. The aircraft will be operated by Transpaís Aéreo, a subsidiary of the Lomex Group Aeronautics Division. The Legacy 500 was awarded type certification from Mexico’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority in June.

The Legacy 500 is proving itself to be a highly capable executive jet that is well-suited to the Mexican market. It offers excellent field performance and easy transcontinental range. The aircraft can fly non-stop from Toluca in Mexico to Manaus in Brazil, Cancun in Mexico to Vancouver in Canada or New York in the US to London. 

Pellegrini says that the delivery of the first Legacy 500 in Mexico highlights “the market trend toward business jets that combine performance, range, low-cost operation and cabin comfort”.

The Mexican market has played an important role in developing global executive aviation. With the second-largest fleet of business jets in the world, just behind the US, Mexico’s strong business aviation culture highlights the need for a powerful tool that helps decision-makers compete in a marketplace that demands speed, flexibility, efficiency and productivity. 

“We are very proud to receive the first Legacy 500 in Mexico,” says Hector Gonzalez, General Director of Transpaís Aéreo. “It will strengthen our relationship with Embraer products, being the largest Embraer Executive Jets operator in our country. We are sure that the Legacy 500 will be successful because of its exceptional performance and the comfortable attributes it provides.”

Transpaís Aéreo has more than 40 years’ experience and is recognised nationwide for its innovative JetLife executive aviation services and offers a portfolio that includes preventive and corrective maintenance, aircraft management, chartering, aircraft storage, and FBO (fixed-base operator) services mainly in Monterrey and Toluca.

Most recently, in October, Flexjet of the US, a leading provider of fractional jet ownership services, received its first Legacy 500.  

“It’s a great privilege to have been selected by Flexjet for the expansion of its world-class fleet,” says Pellegrini. “The Legacy 500, and soon the Legacy 450, will deliver true innovation to Flexjet customers, and we are committed to providing the highest level of customer support and service.”

Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro says: “We know that current and prospective owners are seeking cabins that are larger and more luxurious than those typically found in this category, complemented by the newest technology and optimised performance. We are thrilled to bring the innovative Legacy midsized cabin solution to the market.”

The Dallas-based Flexjet’s fractional programme already features the Embraer Phenom 300 light jet. 

Since certification by Brazil’s ANAC (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil) in August 2014, the Legacy 500 has been certified by other aviation authorities in the US, Mexico, the European Union, the Middle East, and Australia.


LEGACY 450

Meanwhile, Embraer Executive Jets’ Legacy 450 has received type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). 

The aircraft has met or surpassed all design goals, exceeding targets such as range, runway performance, hot-and-high takeoff distance and maximum payload. Conclusion of the process in Europe follows the recent certification granted by the Brazil and US aviation agencies.    

“This is a great achievement that paves the way for deliveries to begin in the member states of the European Union as well as in EASA-associated countries,” says Pellegrini. “The Legacy 450 is a revolutionary business jet that reinforces our commitment to deliver true innovation to the market.”

The Legacy 450 seats up to nine passengers and is the only mid-light jet featuring a 6-ft-tall cabin and a flat floor. Its cross section – 6 ft 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 said to be 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 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 E2VS features a 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 reserves, the Legacy 450 is capable of flying non-stop 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 authorised service centres, complemented by a 24/7 contact centre, at its headquarters, in Brazil.