Certification of the Legacy 500 is now “imminent”, but Embraer has missed an end-July goal to complete the development phase of the mid-size business jet, an Embraer executive says.
Brazil’s civil airworthiness authority, ANAC, is still evaluating Embraer’s package of certification data on the Legacy 500, says José Eduardo Costas, vice-president of marketing for Embraer Executive Jets.
The first Legacy 500 prototype, powered by two Honeywell HTF7500E turbofans, entered flight testing in November 2012.
The nine-seat jet is the first aircraft of its class to integrate a closed-loop fly-by-wire flight control system, which replaces mechanical controls with a lighter, digital system that incorporates envelope protection.
Embraer plans to deliver about six Legacy 500s in 2014. A smaller variant, the Legacy 450, is scheduled for certification about 12 months after the Legacy 500.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
