Usually a company finds a niche and sticks with it. Not Embraer. After the huge success of their 146 jetliner, they still wanted to branch out into the corporate jet market. The Legacy 600 is Embraer’s first attempt business jet but it doesn’t show. Certified in 1999, the highly-successful Legacy 600 continues to be manufactured today. At the end of 2008, the running total was 154. Now the Legacy series, although still in development, is highly-anticipated and promises the most up-to-date technology yet. The Legacy 600 is unmatched in its class in performance, operation and interior size to name just a few.
The Legacy 600’s cabin stands out above the rest. It is completely tailored with the business world in mind. It is first and only comparable jet with three separate cabin zones to increase productivity on the road, so to speak. Executives can stay connected with high-speed internet, Wi-Fi, a three-line phone system and power outlets, all on-board. Its cabin size surpasses all jets in its class, measuring 1,413 cubic feet. Six-foot tall ceilings allow plenty of room to stand up and maneuver about the cabin. Cabin length measures 42.4 ft, while width is 6.9 ft max. The 600 is normally configured for 13 passengers in four standard seating arrangements.
For optimal comfort and enjoyment, cabin amenities include two 17-inch flat screen monitors, DVD players with individual controls and posh seats that fully recline. Twenty-two large windows and full LED lighting makes the cabin feel exceptionally spacious. A roomy, private lavatory is aft, while a second is optional (forward-positioned). The galley is in a class of its own, including a cutting board, three electrical outlets, a microwave or convection oven, and a long list of optional appliances: refrigerator, wine chiller, larger or second over, or oven/microwave combo. If that’s not enough, the 600 outdoes its competitors again in baggage space, housing 240 cubic feet of flight-accessible storage.
There is no doubt about it that the Legacy 600 has the most comprehensive cabin in its class, but its unruly performance standards do not upset either. Embraer chose two Rolls Royce AE3007A1E high-bypass, turbofan, dual FADEC engines for the Legacy 600. Each is rated at 7,987 lbs of thrust. This allows the 600 to travel 3,250 nautical miles at Mach .74 carrying 8 passengers. It has a high speed cruise of 455 knots and a flight ceiling of 41,000 feet. It’s obvious the engines can perform, but in addition, they are extremely quiet (13dB below Stage IV requirements) and fuel-efficient.
Pilots will enjoy the Legacy 600’s cockpit, the largest in its class. Since Embraer’s goal with the Legacy series is to bring the latest, most innovative technology to aviation, the cockpit is efficient and advanced. Equipped with a Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite, the 600 offers the complete list of quality avionics standard. The system reduces pilot’s workload and stress. The 600 is ready to fly within 10 minutes and requires no upgrades for intercontinental flights.
The 600 excels in operations. Its FADEC-controlled Hamilton-Sundstrand APU can be available during the entire flight, aiding operations at airports with no support infrastructure. Highly reliable is the aircraft’s heavy-duty, trailing-link landing gear, which also requires low maintenance. The aircraft is also outfitted with a digital break-by-wire system including anti-skid protection and carbon fiber brakes. With all of these features, it may come as a shock that the Legacy 600 is relatively inexpensive to operate; its average costs compare with that of much smaller jets in the midsize class like the Hawker 4000 and the Gulfstream 200.
Honing the most advanced, up-to-date title in aviation, Embraer has beautifully mastered the business jet category. The Legacy 600 brings the perfect combination of business and luxury to the skies. Executives are able to be just as productive in the 600 as they would be in the office, just in style.