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Embraer’s Legacy 450 mid-light business jet set speed records on its recent flights between California and Hawaii, according to the National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The Hawaii trip was a first for both the aircraft and the passengers from Calgary-based AirSprint, which operates Canada’s largest fractional aircraft fleet and was the Canadian launch customer for the Legacy 450. The customer demonstration trip with Embraer crew departed from Oakland to Maui with two pilots, four passengers and 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of baggage, and returned to San Francisco.
“We are elated to have flown aboard the Legacy 450 on this record-breaking flight to Hawaii,” said James Elian, president and COO of AirSprint. “AirSprint is proud to play a role in the personal and professional lives of successful Canadians. Our fractional owners trust us daily to take them, their colleagues, and their loved ones to places of work and leisure. With the Legacy 450 in our fleet, we are able to enhance their experience by providing faster, non-stop access to further away destinations like Hawaii, all with a level of comfort and luxury not previously available. We are thrilled to offer this incredible aircraft to our owners.”
The first flight departed from Oakland International Airport (KOAK) on Dec. 5, at 11:53 a.m. (PST), with fuel reserves in excess of those required for NBAA instrument flight rules (IFR) as well as for critical operations. The flight lasted five hours and 14 minutes, covering a distance of 2,428 miles (3,907 kilometres), recording its longest flight to date. Only 25 minutes into the flight, the aircraft had already reached its planned cruising altitude of 43,000 feet.
The aircraft landed at Maui’s Kahului Airport (PHOG) at 3:04 p.m. (HST) with ample fuel reserves of 2,500 pounds (1,134 kilograms), having consumed only 8,700 pounds (3,946 kilograms) at approximately 243 gallons per hour of flight. The highest speed achieved during this flight was 450 knots or 518 miles per hour (834 kilometres per hour), sustaining average headwinds of 58 knots.
According to the NAA, the aircraft achieved an average speed of 449.91 miles per hour, establishing the speed record for this course.
The return flight from Hawaii began on Dec. 6, at 8:05 a.m. (HST), with only three passengers and the same amount of baggage. The flight lasted four hours and 27 minutes, covering a distance of 2,379 miles (3,829 kilometres). The aircraft landed at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) at 2:54 p.m. (PST) with excess fuel reserves of 3,300 pounds (1,497 kilograms). The highest speed achieved during this flight was 533 knots or 613 miles per hour (987 kilometres per hour), with average tailwinds of 24 knots.
The NAA has confirmed that the average speed of 525.89 miles per hour attained by the aircraft is a record for this course.
The Legacy 450 has a full range capability of 2,900 nautical miles (5,371 kilometres) with four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, and it can operate at up to Mach 83 with an altitude ceiling of 45,000 feet.
