Flexjet has added another aircraft model to its portfolio with the acceptance today of its first Embraer Legacy 450. The 450 is part of an order that Flexjet announced in May 2015 for an unspecified number of 450s and 500s. Flexjet first accepted the slightly larger 500 in September 2015 and now has four in its fleet. The fractional provider anticipates that it will have five Legacy 450s in its fleet by year-end.

The 500, which can carry up to 12 passengers and has a maximum range of 3,125 nm, was certified in October 2014, while the 450, which can carry up to nine passengers and has a maximum 2,900-nm range, was approved by the agency one year ago. The aircraft share a common type rating, feature Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion flight decks and incorporate fly-by-wire controls.

“The Legacy 450 will become the mainstay of our midsize program, which has been growing rapidly in response to increased demand for aircraft of this size,” said Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro. “Not only does the Legacy 450 offer the capabilities and performance of larger aircraft, but fractional owners can access it at an investment level more commonly associated with much smaller aircraft.”

The Legacy 450 and 500, the mainstays of Flexjet’s midsize offerings, fit in between the Bombardier Learjet 75LXi light and Challenger 350 super-midsize jets. In additon, the 450 is part of Flexjet’s Red Label offering, which includes dedicated flight crews and artisan interiors that are designed to give fractional owners more of a sense that they are flying their own aircraft.

The 450 becomes the third Embraer product in the Flexjet portfolio, joining the Phenom 300. This addition comes as Flexjet has been restructuring its fleet and ramping up on its newer aircraft models. “Our fleet expansion has been very strong over the past 24 months,” Silvestro said. “We will close 2016 with 52 new aircraft delivered in a 24-month period.”