Embraer Legacy

Embraer Executive Aircraft For Sale at BusinessJet.com

The ERJ-135 and more recent ERJ-140 are shortened developments of the 50 seat ERJ-145, while the Legacy is a corporate development of the ERJ-135.

Embraer launched the ERJ-135 on September 16 1997. Just nine and a half months passed before first flight on July 4 1998 (following rollout on May 12 that year). A second prototype first flew in October 1998, US FAA certification was awarded on July 16 1999 and first delivery was to Continental Express on July 23 1999.

The speed of the development program illustrates that the ERJ-135 is a fairly straightfoward development of the 145. Both 135 prototypes were converted from ERJ-145 prototypes, requiring little modification other than the removal of two fuselage plugs totalling 3.50m (11ft 6in) in length.

Other changes compared with the -145 are minor. Both are powered by Rolls-Royce (Allison) AE-3007 turbofans but the ERJ-135's are derated by around 5%, achieved by a slight software change to the engines' FADEC system. The only other notable change is new valves in the air-conditioning system.

Like the ERJ-145 therefore, the 135 also features a Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite with five large multifunction displays in the cockpit, a Sundstrand APU and three abreast seating in the main cabin.

Also in common with the ERJ-145, the 135 is offered in standard ERJ-135ER and extended range ERJ-135LR forms. The LR features an additional fuel tank and slightly more powerful AE-3007A4 turbofans.

Few new airliners have sold as quickly from their launch as the ERJ-135. Building on the success of the 145, the 135's order book stood at 145 at late 1998, barely a year after launch. The aircraft's two biggest customers were American Eagle which ordered 75 and optioned 75 at the 1998 Farnborough Airshow to join 42 firm ordered ERJ-145s, and Continental Express with 25 firm and 50 optioned to complement 75 ERJ-145s it had on order.

In September 1999 Embraer launched the third member of its regional jet family, the 44 seat ERJ-140. The ERJ-140 is also a minimum change development, and differs from the 135 and 145 only in its fuselage length and seating capacity. First flight was on June 27 2000 and deliveries began in late July 2001.

The 140 is largely aimed at US airlines who have to contend with pilot labour agreement restrictions on the numbers of 50 seater jets they can operate. American Eagle was the launch customer.

Meanwhile at Farborough 2000 Embraer launched development of the ERJ-135 based Legacy corporate jet. First flight (of a converted ERJ-135) was on March 2001. The Legacy features additional fuel giving a range with 10 passengers of 5930km (3200nm).

Although the marketing designations are ERJ-135, ERJ-140 and Legacy, the certification designations remain as EMB-135ER/LR for the ERJ-135ER/LR, EMB-135KL for the ERJ-140LR and EMB-135BJ for the Legacy.

The Embraer Legacy Shuttle began life as a highly successful commercial aircraft in 1999. Its parent company, Embraer, decided that their popular 50-passenger commercial jet, the ERJ-135 would translate well into a 13-passenger private jet. The resulting aircraft was a cross between the ERJ-135 and -145, and was met with success in the private jet industry. It was modified in several ways to meet the needs of corporate jet flyers, but retained the large majority of its original design. Although the EMB-135 was the first of the Embraer private jets, it already had plenty of experience in the field.

The most notable modifications made to the EMB-135 were the addition of winglets to increase speed and stability, and the addition of several auxiliary fuel tanks which increased the jet’s fuel capacity from 11,300 pounds to 18,160 pounds. Two years later, Embraer released the EMB-135LR, which has also fared well since its debut in 2004.

The EMB-135LR, in contrast to its predecessor, is designed to work best on shorter trips. It can carry more passengers than its predecessor, and is designed to be used as a corporate shuttle for anywhere between 16 and 37 passengers, not as a luxurious office at 39,000 feet.

With that in mind, the Legacy Shuttle does meet its design objectives very well. It is extremely practical, an ideal private jet for day-to-day business use. It is extremely reliable, and has plenty of backup systems for each key function, as should be expected from a private jet originally designed for day-in, day-out commercial use.

The cabin of the Legacy Shuttle is the second-largest of any heavy jet (the late-generation Gulfstreams come in first place), with a cabin volume of 1,410 cubic feet. The cabin measures 6 feet high, 6.9 feet wide, and 42.4 feet long. The internal and external baggage compartments, totaling 142 cubic feet, can hold 1,415 pounds of baggage and are both accessible in-flight. The external baggage compartment is pressurized, air-conditioned, and has class C fire protection.

The exact interior configurations will vary greatly according to how many passengers the jet holds (16-37 passengers), but typical amenities include a galley with an oven, coffee maker and cold food storage. Airshow 400, single-channel satcom, and multiple AC power outlets are included in the standard interior configuration. The in-flight entertainment system consists of a 20-inch flat-panel screen mounted at the front of the cabin with DVD, VCR, and CD players with headphone jacks at each seat. Alternately, individual passenger screens may be installed, along with multi-channel satcom, various pieces of office equipment, a microwave, and so on. Cabins are insulated with a 54 dBa acoustical insulation package from Flight Environments and all have an emergency oxygen system and an emergency exit. The seats provided vary according to which interior layout is chosen: for the 16-passenger option, the seats are quite comfortable and spread out, as in a first-class commercial cabin. The 19-passenger configuration uses smaller seats that are more tightly spaced, and the high-density (37 passenger) option is undeniably reminiscent of coach.

he Legacy Shuttle is powered by two Rolls-Royce AE3007 A1/3 turbofan engines. Each engine is flat-rated to 7,057 pounds of thrust. Inspection is on-condition. FADEC makes engine startup almost entirely automatic and regulates their performance in-flight for optimal fuel burn and speed. They burn, on average, 313 gallons of fuel per hour.

Runway performance is not the Legacy Shuttle’s strong point, but it makes up for it with its ability to operate with heavy payloads and still fly a decent distance. On a sea level runway, the Legacy Shuttle requires 5,600 feet to take off. For a runway at 5,000 feet and a temperature of 77 ° F, the requirement increases to 7,024 feet. Although the high-altitude takeoff length is longer than the average heavy private jet requirement, the Legacy Shuttle can fly 2,049 nautical miles ( Seattle to Boston, for example) after such a takeoff. It would fly this distance by first climbing directly to its long-range cruise altitude of 37,000 feet in 22 minutes, then cruising at 387 ktas (.68 Mach). A high speed cruise of 446 ktas (.77 Mach) can also be achieved at 37,000 feet and will consume about 10% more fuel than consumption at the long-range speed. The Legacy Shuttle’s average speed, including climb and descent, is 371 ktas.

The cockpit of the Legacy Shuttle is equipped with the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite, which includes dual FMS with GPS, CVR, TAWS, TCAS, a Primus 800 Doppler Turbulence detection weather radar, single-channel CAT II autopilot, a Smiths Industries Integrated Standby Instrument System, and many more pieces of communication and situation-awareness equipment. Information is displayed on five flat-panel Cathode Ray Tubes. Additional equipment can be added as desired.

In short, the Legacy Shuttle was designed to be a reliable, practical private jet suitable for frequent business use. It can carry large loads and still achieve respectable a range, and will be faithfully completing missions without incident while its heavy private jet peers are in the shop for maintenance, scheduled or otherwise.

Powerplants

Performance
ERJ-135ER - Max cruising speed 834km/h (450kt). Service ceiling 37,000ft. Time to 35,000ft 21min. Takeoff field length at MTOW 1610m (5282ft). Range with 37 passengers 2650km (1430nm).
ERJ-135LR - Takeoff field length at MTOW 1722m (5650ft). Range with 37 passengers 3138km (1700nm).
ERJ-140LR - Same except range with 44 passengers 3019km (1630nm).

Weights
ERJ-135ER - Empty equipped 10,684kg (23,554lb), max takeoff 19,000kg (41,888lb). ERJ-135LR - Operating empty 11,420kg (25,176lb), max takeoff 20,000kg (44,092lb).
ERJ-140LR - Operating empty 11,740kg (25,882lb), max takeoff 21.100kg (46,517lb).

Dimensions
ERJ-135 & Legacy - Wing span 20.04m (65ft 9in), length 26.34m (86ft 5in), height 6.75m (22ft 2in). Wing area 51.2m2 (550.9sq ft).
ERJ-140 - Same except length 28.45m (93ft 5in).

Capacity
Flightcrew of two.
ERJ-135 - Standard seating for 37 passengers at three abreast.
ERJ-140 - Standard seating for 44 passengers at three abreast.

Information gathered from various internet sources. Reasonable attempts have been made to ensure accuracy and veracity of sources. However, this information should not be used for flight planning or official purposes.

BusinessJet.com -- Business Jet Online Magazine