Four Business Jets Make First Appearance at EBACE

Four business jets–the Cessna Citation Latitude, Embraer Legacy 450, Bombardier Challenger 650 and HondaJet–made their EBACE debut in Geneva last month. The Latitude made the trip to Europe during the latter stages of a soon-to-be-completed certification program. Show visitors were able to see the first new Citation family cabin cross section in more than four decades, and AIN had the chance to fly the new jet.

Embraer’s flight-test Legacy 450 made the journey from the company’s base in São José dos Campos, Brazil, in 12 hours 36 minutes, stopping for fuel at Recife International Airport in Brazil, Amílcar Cabral International Airport on Sal Island, Cape Verde, and Málaga Costa del Sol Airport in Spain The Legacy 450 program is on schedule, with entry into service expected in the fourth quarter. According to Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Marco Túlio Pellegrini, the twinjet is performing similarly to its larger sibling, the Legacy 500, which was certified last year and shares more than 90-percent commonality with the Legacy 450.

The Bombardier Challenger 650, a refreshed version of the CL605 with new avionics and more powerful engines, also made its public debut in Geneva. Launched at last year’s NBAA Convention in October, the 3,200-nm/5,926-km Challenger 650 will feature the Bombardier Vision flight deck based on the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system, originally designed for the Global 6000. Vision features large 15-inch displays and includes head-up guidance, synthetic vision, enhanced vision, MultiScan weather radar and the Integrated Flight Information System. The new Challenger made its first flight on February 26.

Finally, the HondaJet made its first European appearance at EBACE, on the heels of a tour in Japan that drew more than 10,000 people. The aircraft received its provisional type certification in late March, and Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino hopes to secure full type certification in the next few months. European Aviation Safety Agency approval is anticipated later this year.

Honda Aircraft has not revealed its backlog but continues to maintain that it holds orders for more than 100 of the $4.5 million aircraft. The company currently has 20 aircraft on the assembly line and plans to ramp up the rate following receipt of a production certificate, anticipated shortly after full type certification. Fujino estimates that the company could produce 40 aircraft in the first year and possibly 60 in the next.