Best-In-Class, Brazilian Style

On Tuesday, Embraer formally introduced its new Embraer MSJ and Embraer MLJ executive jet programs, which were recently approved by the company’s Board of Directors.

The midsize Embraer MSJ, with a 3,000 nautical miles (5,560 km) range, and the midlight Embraer MLJ, with a 2,300 nautical miles (4,260 km) range, will be positioned between the Legacy 600 and the Phenom 300 in the planemaker’s executive jets portfolio. An estimated US$ 750 million will be invested in research and development for the new models, which will enter service in the second semester of 2012 and 2013, respectively.

"The Embraer MSJ and the Embraer MLJ are further evidence of our commitment to introducing innovative and distinctively different products to the business aviation market," said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO, "Today, we take another step towards our long-term, strategic vision to become a major player in the global executive jets market."

"We are pleased to announce the cleansheet design Embraer MSJ and Embraer MLJ," said Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer Executive Vice President, Executive Jets. "We believe these new jets will revolutionize the midsize and midlight categories, offering best-in-class features with a flat-floor standup cabin, premium comfort in a modern design, full fly-by-wire technology, superior performance, and low operating costs."

As ANN reported, the Embraer MSJ and Embraer MLJ were first presented at NBAA 2007 in Atlanta, GA as concept aircraft.
 
Embraer says the two new aircraft will offer an incomparable travel experience with the flatfloor stand-up six-foot cabin and a stylish interior design developed jointly with BMW Group DesignworksUSA. A full fly-by-wire flight control system will further enhance a comfortably smooth flight.

Commercial launch of the two new jets will occur in May, at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), in Geneva, Switzerland. A full-scale mock-up of the Embraer MSJ will be showcased and the brand names of the jets will be unveiled. The planemaker expects to begin receiving sales orders for both jets during EBACE.

Embraer also announced the selection of the engine and avionics suppliers for the two new jets. Honeywell will provide the environment-friendly HTF7500E propulsion system, based on the proven HTF7000 platform, incorporating the latest technologies, in order to achieve performance requirements, with improved fuel efficiency, ease of maintainability, low operating costs, and reduced noise and emissions.

Rockwell Collins will supply its Pro Line Fusion avionics suite, a modern and integrated cockpit that offers extensive situational awareness and a highly intuitive user interface. The advanced graphics capabilities deliver high resolution for enhanced and synthetic vision systems, as well as multi-scan weather radar. Development of the new aircraft is moving forward, with over 200 professionals already engaged in their design and engineering processes.

Preliminary wind tunnel tests have been concluded, digital models of the jets have been created with CATIA V5 software, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations have been performed.

FMI: www.embraer.com