São José dos Campos, Brazil, August 12, 2014 – The Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil – ANAC) today granted type certification for the Legacy 500 executive jet during a ceremony at the Latin American Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (LABACE), in São Paulo, Brazil. Embraer expects to receive certification from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) in the upcoming weeks and certification by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) thereafter.
“We are thrilled with the achievement of the Legacy 500 certification, a revolutionary jet that delivers true innovation to our customers,” said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO. “I want to congratulate our teams for their passion and their dedication to bring to market this extraordinary aircraft.”
The flight test program comprised four prototype aircraft, which have carried out extensive function and reliability testing. The Legacy 500 test fleet completed over 1,800 flight hours. Over 20,000 hours of tests were conducted in laboratories with rigs for aircraft avionics, electrical, hydraulic, and environmental systems.
Production of the Legacy 500 has already begun and the first delivery is scheduled for September. Up to six aircraft will be produced in 2014, and production of the Legacy 500 will increase throughout 2015.
“We are very pleased to confirm that all Legacy 500 design goals have been achieved or exceeded” said Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. “This aircraft is a game changer! With greater range and better field performance than originally planned, the Legacy 500 sets a new standard for the midsize class.”
About the Legacy 500
The Legacy 500 has 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 feet. 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 the first midsize business jet with digital flight controls, based on Fly-By-Wire technology, featuring side sticks. The state-of-the-art Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite on four 15-inch high resolution LCD 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 feet and is powered by two Honeywell HTF7500E engines, the greenest in their class. Taking off from airfields as short as 4,084 ft, the Legacy 500 has a range of 3,125 nautical miles (5,788 kilometers) with four passengers, including NBAA IFR fuel reserves, which enables it to fly nonstop from São Paulo to Caracas, Los Angeles to Honolulu, Teterboro to London, Moscow to New Delhi, Jakarta to Sydney, Dubai to Zurich, and Beijing to New Delhi.
