Brazilian manufacturer Embraer unveiled a new version of the Legacy 650, the Legacy 650E. It features new SVS and autothrottle, restyled seat upholstery, warranty extended to 10 years from six (or 10,000 flight hours)—“the longest in business jet history”—and optional separate crew lavatory in the forward area. The aircraft will enter service next year, and the list price is $25.9 million.
With the 700th delivery of a Phenom 100/300 jet taking place this week, the Phenom is also of interest for NBAA static park visitors as Embraer has brought the new Phenom 100EV (which was first announced at AirVenture Oshkosh in late July), marking the new variant’s global debut. The aircraft, which has already logged 100 hours in flight-test, has a higher cruise speed (405 KTAS) and better hot-and-high performance thanks to modified P&WC PW617F1-E engines, which deliver 15 percent more thrust at hot/high airports. It also has a faster time-to-climb and a four-occupant max range with NBAA IFR reserves of 1,178nm. The EV is scheduled to enter service in the first half of next year.
Embraer Executive Jets (EEJ) is also showing the Legacy 450 with a complete interior at an NBAA Convention for the first time. The aircraft sits alongside the Phenom 100EV, Phenom 300, Legacy 500 and Lineage 1000E in the static display in Orlando.
Speaking at a press conference at the Convention Center yesterday, EEJ president & CEO Marco Tulio Pelligrini reflected on the absence of an economic recovery since the downturn that started in 2008. Nevertheless, he said, “OEMs have been doing their part, adding options to the market” in terms of a wider variety of aircraft, upgrading older models and vastly improving customer support internationally. “That’s the positive side…but we would like to see much higher utilization of bizjets.” For its part Embraer has produced 1,030 business jets since it launched the EEJ division 11 years ago, and continues to produce new variants and upgrades as evidenced here this week.
Pelligrini suggested that given the poor economic conditions, commodities crisis and strong U.S. dollar, factors are against a recovery in business aircraft sales before 2018. But he also reflected on Embraer’s success since launching a business jet division some 10 years ago, and on its growing number of manufacturing facilities in the U.S., particularly in Florida—where all Phenoms are now produced.
Pelligrini believes that, given the right conditions and promotion, business aviation could be opened up to a much wider market as premium passengers are not being well served by airlines. He said that there are some “main drivers” such as the record high number of wealthy individuals around the world, and the emergence of Uber-type apps, “but there are some blockers too.” One of these is finance that would allow more operations to be set up, acquiring aircraft.
