Article
Rater Event : The Little Big Jet

Private Air readers try the Embraer Legacy 600 on for size

By: Nick Kolakowski
December 2007 , Page 120

If Goldilocks were in the market for a twin-engine private jet, she’d probably be a fan of the Embraer Legacy 600. Where some might find midsize jets too cramped for long-distance board outings and commercial airliners too big and showy for anyone without a double-platinum single, even the blonde tween star would have to agree that the Legacy is just right. A slightly shorter version of Embraer’s ERJ 145, the popular workhorse of JetBlue’s regional fleet, the Legacy luxuriously seats 13 passengers — or 16 if you plan on running your own corporate shuttle.

And as Private Air’s rater panel discovered as they walked across the tarmac of New York’s Westchester County Airport, the aircraft’s graceful swoops and angles shimmering in the early-morning sun, there’s also something else just right about the Legacy: its price tag — $26.4 million fully loaded — which puts it squarely in the midsize-jet category. Large midsize, even.

Far and Wide
At takeoff, the Rolls-Royce AE 3007 A1E engines applied their 7,953 pounds-force of thrust and propelled the plane into the partly cloudy skies at the sort of sharp angle you feel in your belly. The water in a nearby bottle didn’t slosh or tilt excessively; no appliances clinked or banged in the galley; and if you were holding a conversation, you didn’t have to raise your voice to the point where the pilots were able to overhear the value of your stock options.

The plane leveled off well below its Mach .80 maximum speed — ordinarily the time when passengers in the Wi-Fi capable cabin would pull out their laptops and start clicking away. In this case, however, the readers instead did what they do best: explore the aircraft. Many gave the Legacy’s detail work, including the stable foldaway side tables and individual audio controls in the passenger armrests, a thumbs-up. The seats, which glided smoothly on their tracks, also received high marks. “I liked the longer length and headroom,” said reader Sarah McLane, also citing the aircraft’s ultra-efficient air recirculation as a plus. As with many planes in its class, the Legacy 600 comes with LED lights throughout the cabin, which provide clear white light that won’t singe your bald spot even after hours spent reading just a foot or so from the bulbs.

Overall, the Legacy 600 garnered slightly higher scores for comfort and amenities than other midsize bizjets in Private Air’s recent reader surveys. Over-the-shoulder restraints and headrests added support and reduced jostling during turbulence. Readers also praised the 240 cubic feet of baggage space, accessible via a door in the lavatory — enough to hold the duffels and overnight bags of everyone aboard — and the galley’s seven-bottle wine cooler.

An overnight bag, of course, might not be enough for those who would like to take the Legacy to the edge of its 3,250-nautical-mile range. “If you need a workhorse plane, the Legacy blows others away,” says reader Daniel George. “You have to remember it’s built to be a commercial airplane.” Take off from New York and, without stopping, you can reach London, northernmost Canada or Manaus, Brazil (an excellent jumping-off point for an Amazon eco-vacation) with fuel to spare. European travelers based in Geneva can reach Moscow or Dubai.

All the Angles
The Legacy 600 dove down for a quick landing. Doing this at a runway in the northern suburbs of New York isn’t an especially difficult feat for a trained pilot, especially on a clear day, but this craft requires a mere 2,350 feet of runway and — even more impressively — can handle an approach of up to 5.5 degrees. That’s a full 2.5 degrees steeper than most large aircraft, which opens up all sorts of airports in mountainous areas or with strict noise-abatement requirements. For avid skiers this means dropping right into Aspen; for standard business travelers, it means the freedom to bypass Heathrow for the comparative calm and proximity of London City Airport (LCY).

As of the third quarter 2007, more than 110 Legacies had been delivered — a fair clip for a brand still well shy of its sixth birthday, but, unfortunately, not good enough. In fact, if there’s one area in which the Embraer Legacy is lacking, it’s in time to delivery. Order now and prepare to wait until at least the second half of 2009 for your own shiny aircraft to be ready. And that’s just not right.

Embraer Legacy 600

Suggested retail price: $26.4 million

Seating capacity: 10–16

Engines: Rolls-Royce AE 3007 series

Cabin length: 49.8 feet

Cabin height: 6.0 feet

Total baggage volume: 240 cubic feet

Maximum speed: Mach .80

Maximum range: 3,250 nautical miles

Maximum altitude: 41,000 feet

Takeoff distance: 5,614 feet

Takeoff thrust: 7,453 pounds

Annual liability insurance rate: $44,485

Fuel cost per hour ($4.80 per gallon): $1,540.80

Maintenance cost per hour (labor and parts): $233

Total variable costs per hour: $3,720

What our raters thought of the Embraer Legacy 600:
KEY:

1 = unacceptable
2 = underperformed expectations
3 = met expectations
4 = exceeded expectations
5 = far surpassed expectations

MAIN CABIN:

Interior lighting 4.20

Standard fit and finish quality 3.90

Positioning of controls 4.00

Airborne noise levels 4.00

Headroom 3.90

Shoulder room 4.20

Cabin windows, shade functionality 4.30

Cabin windows, field of view 4.00

Window positioning 4.43

Standard in-cabin audio systems 3.70

Standard in-cabin video systems 3.83

Communications(satellite phones, etc.) 4.00

Closet space/storage 4.33

LAVATORY:

Interior lighting 4.30

Standard fit and finish quality 4.20

Functionality of components 4.30

Legroom 4.30

Headroom 3.90

Shoulder room 4.20

Pedestal height 4.20

Ventilation 4.00

Privacy 4.30

BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT:

Ease of access 3.80

Functionality of doors and latches 3.80

Size 4.10

AIRCRAFT EXTERIOR:

Fit and finish quality 4.30

Ramp presence 4.40

GALLEY:

Lighting 3.80

Standard fit and finish quality 3.90

Storage space 4.00

Functionality of components 3.90

Positioning of controls 4.10

Size of fridge/cold storage unit 4.00

OVERALL:

Price/value relationship 4.10

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