Embraer, Flight Options sign MoU to buy Legacy Executive

Our Corporate Bureau
28 October 2003

"Embraer is proud to have the Legacy Executive selected by Flight Options for addition to their fleet," says Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer''s executive vice-president, civil aircraft. "The Legacy is the ideal product for the demanding fractional market, due to its low operating costs and rugged reliability, proven by over 4 million hours of operation of the ERJ 135/140/145 family. Flight Options'' choice of the Legacy Executive acknowledges the value that Embraer has brought to the market with this product."

"As Flight Options continues to provide our owners with the most choices in business aircraft, we view the Legacy as the perfect compliment to the Flight Options fleet," says John Nahill, chairman and chief executive officer of Flight Options. "The Legacy delivers the performance, range and passenger space of a larger cabin aircraft, but with the occupied hourly rate of a super midsize aircraft. This aircraft will afford us the large cabin capacity that our customers desire."

The Legacy family consists of the Legacy Executive, with a range of 3,250 nm (8 pax, 0.74 Mach, NBAA reserves) in a 13-seat configuration; the Legacy Shuttle (16-19 seats, 1,840 nm range) and the Legacy Shuttle HC (30-37 seats, 1,840 nm range).

Bolstered range, added fuel capacity, aerodynamic enhancements and a wealth of new standard features are part of the Legacy Executive. The latest range marks come from increased fuel capacity, aerodynamic improvements, and higher engine thrust. Aerodynamic improvements include the removal of windshield wipers, redesign of fairings and air inlets, leading edges polishing, and surfaces smoothing resulting in significant drag reduction, fuel economy and extended autonomy.

Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Flight Options is the world''s fastest growing fractional provider and employs over 1,300 professionals across the US. Flight Options offers fractional shares and leases in its fleet of over 220 aircraft.