Story ID: 
Embraer Flies First U.S.-assembled Legacy 450
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: Including the Phenom 100 and 300, the Legacy 450 is the third business jet model to be assembled at the company’s recently expanded Melbourne facility.
Word Count: 176
The first U.S.-assembled Legacy 450 made its maiden flight yesterday from Embraer Executive Jets’ facility in Melbourne, Florida, some five months after it entered the production line at the plant. “We have successfully completed this important milestone, and we are on track to deliver this aircraft in December,” said Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Marco Tulio Pellegrini.

Including the Phenom 100 and 300, the Legacy 450 is the third business jet model to be assembled at the company’s recently expanded Melbourne facility. A second Legacy 450 is already on the Melbourne assembly line, which will be followed by two Legacy 500s starting early next year. Legacy 450s and 500s are also being assembled at Embraer’s headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil.

Embraer began its Melbourne aircraft assembly operations in early 2011 with the entry-level Phenom 100, followed by the Phenom 300 in August 2012. In a little more than five years, the company has delivered close to 200 Phenoms from its Melbourne facility to customers across the U.S. and in 12 other countries.