Legacy 500 takes shape

Embraer has accomplished another milestone in the
development of its new Legacy 500 midsize executive jet with the joining of the
aircraft’s three fuselage sections: cockpit, centre section and aft fuselage.
Legacy 500 final assembly will take place at Embraer facilities in São José dos
Campos, Brazil. This is an important step
towards beginning flight tests in the second half of 2011.

“The joining of the fuselage
sections of the first prototype is a key milestone in our development schedule,
and we will join the second one in the near future. Embraer is adopting a
multi-site industrial strategy for the production of parts and major structures
of the Legacy 500, supplied from all over the world,” says Maurício Almeida, Embraer vice president,
Programs – Executive Jets. “Our robust
design, manufacturing capability, and quality control process allowed for
joining of these sections together flawlessly, as we move solidly through the
development stages of this aircraft. This is made possible by the perfect integration
of Embraer and its partners.”