China-assembled Embraer’s Legacy 650 takes maiden flight

Harbin Embraer Aircraft (HEAI) has announced that the first Legacy 650 large executive jet assembled in China has successfully completed its maiden test flight.

The first Legacy 650 is scheduled for delivery by the end of this year.

HEAI is a joint venture between Embraer and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

During the two-and-half hour test flight, Embraer’s test pilots evaluated the aircraft handling and performance characteristics, as well as flight control, communication, and navigation systems.

Embraer senior vice-president and Embraer China president Guan Dongyuan said: "The successful maiden flight of HEAI’s first Legacy 650 marks an important milestone not only in the Embraer-AVIC partnership, but also in the history of the Chinese executive aviation industry, as the jet is also the first large executive jet assembled by a joint venture in China."

The Legacy 650, which completed its maiden flight in September 2009 and entered into service in late-2010, is a longer-range version of the Legacy 600.

The aircraft features flight deck that is equipped with a Honeywell Primus Elite avionics suite, the largest in-flight-accessible baggage compartment and lavatory in its category.

It has a range of 7,223km and can accommodate up to 14 passengers in three distinctive spacious cabins.

Embraer delivered the first Legacy 650 jetliner to the Chinese market in February 2012, and since then, the aircraft has logged 21 firm orders and five options.

The company stated that in order to provide efficient customer support, it is continuing to build its customer service network with several service centres authorised for executive jets customer services in the Greater China region.

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Image: The Legacy 650 is a longer-range version of the Legacy 600. Photo: courtesy of Embraer SA.