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Embraer has announced that its midlight Legacy 450 and midsize Legacy 500 business jets are progressing in development, with production of the first parts for the Legacy 500 underway.
The manufacturer has been involved in close consultation with a group of pilots and aircraft owners from around the world who make up its Man Machine Interface (MMI) advisory board for the two aircraft to define major parts of the aircraft’s interior. As a result of one of the suggestions, the company now offers a broader range of finishing materials for the aircraft’s interior, as well as developments to its Honeywell Ovation Select cabin management system.
“As we begin producing the first parts for the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 jets, we are always open to learning from our customers,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer’s executive vice president, Executive Jets. “Listening to our customers has been an Embraer trade mark. I believe this is the right attitude to have when designing products that respond to market needs, and are intended to always provide customers with a remarkable ownership experience.”
The company also noted that production has begun on the Legacy 500’s first parts, with the first nose and main landing gear forgings being machined in Canada. Meggitt performed the first forgings for the wheels and brakes, while Belgium’s Sonaca began the first trials for stretching the rear fuselage panels at its facilities in the city of Gosselies. Other suppliers are still to be selected.
Embraer launched the two executive jets at the 2007 NBAA convention in Atlanta, Georgia, with certification for the Legacy 500 due in 2012, followed a year later by the 450.
