Embraer is here at Oshkosh with a mock-up of its Phenom 300 and yesterday at least had an aircraft on display in the shape of the Legacy 600 – but the scarcity of its aircraft belies the frenzied activity that is going on at its home base in Brazil.
The airframer is due to certify and deliver two new models this year. The Phenom 100 light jet and the high-end Legacy 1000.
Eight years ago Embraer introduced the Legacy and Luis Carlos Affonso, executive vice president for Embraer’s Executive Jets says: “Since then it has been a great success. Our first Legacy was delivered in 2002 and since that day there are some 140 delivered aircraft.
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“We are progressing well towards the fulfillment of our vision to become a big player in the industry.”
And since the summer of 2000 the Brazilian airframer has aggressively expanded its business aviation offerings with the Phenom 100 due to certify this year and spring’s launch of the two newest Legacy family members – the 450 and 500.
“People are starting to see the business jet as a tool, and are willing to pay that little bit more to take away the inconveniences and hassle factors of air travel. We don’t see security issues at airports changing too much, and it is a driving force for our industry.
“Every week we’re getting people coming to us with different concepts for business jet travel. And people are saying that an aircraft like the Phenom 100 is now affordable – can we have a look at that ?” explains Embraer’s Colin Steven.
And it has fleet appeal in the US too. Kansas City, Missouri based Executive AirShare will be operating the aircraft under its fractional ownership scheme.
With several US carriers having cut, or set to start cutting services Steven believes “it is the first class passengers who are losing out on the premium service. These people will probably enter charter and fly 100h/150h and then analyze their own aircraft.”
“We see a $201bn worldwide market for business aviation, not including the VLJs and the new business models these aircraft are creating, over the next ten years. We’ve got a 15% share but expect that to go up with new models,” he says.
Even with the credit crunch and wildly escalating fuel costs Steven says that “charter operators are always looking at cost pressure, and prices go up. But the market is not slowing, which is a good sign.”
Antonini Macedo, new programs leader, says: “Our aircraft are positioned at the higher end of their segments. We go to one segment and try to deliver as much as possible of the segment above, overlapping of some kind.”
Macedo points to the Phenom 100 and says that it is in a grey area between “Entry Level Jets and VLJs”. But believes that because the Phenom 100 is designed for high utilization, 35,000 cycle life, even an aircraft coming out of service with an air taxi operation is still capable of being operated economically.
“Over ten years an air taxi aircraft will typically have done 15-20,000 and the Phenom’s design life favors residual value,” explains Macedo. “Life can be extended but a higher cost.”
“Cold soak tests are progressing well and we do not foresee any surprises with dates for delivery. Historically we’ve certified and delivered immediately,” Macedo says.
The 100 has now completed all the envelope expansion to give known performance characteristics, as well as an aerodynamic configuration freeze.
It has also completed over 700h of testing with four aircraft in the test program and is “on schedule for 2nd semester delivery” this year.
Furthermore the Phenom family will have a facility at Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, Florida.
This facility will include final assembly, a paint booth and delivery hangars for the Phenoms. As well as being a customer design center and will become the future base for Embraer’s Executive Jets activities inside the US.
On the Phenom 300 Macedo says “it is important to note it is not a stretch, it just shares the same fuselage cross sections and avionics – with some additional functionality. It is a performance machine; it has ¾ of a Legacy’s wingspan.
“It does share the nose and windshield with the 100, some system placements are different because we have bleed air anti icing for the 300 and rubber de-icing boots on the 100.
“We started the design on the 100 with a conceptual design team, which also did the 300. When we had finished the conceptual designs there was an overlap and some small adjustments were needed to make them the same. They share the same DNA,” says Macedo.
The Phenom 300 flew for the first time on April 29 this year and Embraer holds orders for over 750 for the two types.
Unsurprisingly both aircraft will have a synthetic vision system as an option.
Macedo says, “There is space for maybe one or two products between the Phenom 300 and the Legacy 450. We’re studying it and maybe in a few years…”
With the commercial launch of the 450 and 500 at this year’s EBACE Macedo believes that these two models will set a new paradigm for the segment, if not set the bar.
Embraer has worked with BMW DesignWorksUSA to combine what it says is style and comfort with a fully flat floor and stand up cabin. “We’ve been taking input from both the pilots and the passengers for the last two years,” he says.
“BMW DesignWorks are capable of using our digital design and can build a fully integrated digital mock-up of the cabin design,” he adds.
The two new Legacys will not feature a stick shaker but will make use of an angle of attack limiter and Macedo believes that using a sidestick in the cockpit creates more space in the cockpit, and for this size of aircraft and capability, this system was the best solution.
As it stands the Legacy 500 is due to enter service in the second half of 2012 and the Legacy 450 around the same time a year later.
While the Lineage program is progressing. There are now two aircraft being completed at PATS in Georgetown, Delaware, and the first delivery will be at the end of the year into the UAE.
Embraer’s executive jets division is keen to make up 25% of Embraer’s revenues by 2010.
Steven points out that the company has invested some $100m in the support network and that “we have two aircraft entering service this year. We have to put customer support together and we have a lot going on. That’s why we kept the Legacy production rate the same as last year, because of the new products coming through. The Legacy 600 backlog is through to the middle of 2010.
“Look at other OEMs, they have delivery slots beyond 2012/13. We’re lucky we can provide a 2010 delivery,” he adds.
“We’re certainly not seeing a drop off in business because of the economy. A lot of buyers and users are seeing it as an appreciating asset. It’s fair to say the emerging markets are also becoming more and more apparent,” claims Steven.
Source: Flight Daily News
