Fly-By-Wire Legacy Completes 95 Minute Test Flight

The newest bizjet in the Embraer Executive Jets' stable, the Legacy 450, made a successful first flight Saturday.

Embraer test pilots Eduardo Camelier and Eugênio Cará, supported by flight test engineer Carlos Kobayashi, flew the aircraft for one hour and thirty-five minutes, conducting the evaluation of handling and performance characteristics.

"Besides setting a new standard in business aviation, delivering innovations that reflect our vision, our commitment to customers, and our passion for excellence, I congratulate all Embraer people for achieving this important Legacy 450 program milestone on the scheduled date" said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO.

The maiden flight covered a significant range of the flight envelope and allowed for a variety of inflight systems tests, benefiting from an advanced campaign of flight simulations and extensive ground tests. "The flight was a success," said Capt. Camelier. "The full fly-by-wire system, with side stick flight controls, made the flight very smooth. With the advanced avionics suite, the aircraft operation was very easy and intuitive."

The Legacy 450 is a mid-light business jet with a six-foot flat-floor cabin. Four fully reclining club seats may be berthed into two beds for complete rest in a maximum cabin altitude of 6,000 ft. The 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 center at the entrance, a rear private lavatory, and a carry-on stowage area.

The Legacy 450 is 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, graphical flight planning, Jeppesen charts and maps, and the Synthetic Vision System (SVS). The optional Embraer Enhanced Vision System (E2VS) encompasses the latest Rockwell Collins Compact Head-Up Display (HUD) and Enhanced Vision System (EVS). The Legacy 450 is powered by two Honeywell HTF 7500E turbofan engines. With four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, the Legacy 450 is capable of flying non-stop from Los Angeles to Boston, or Moscow to New Delhi.

FMI: www.embraer.com