Embraer Delivers First Legacy 450 to Praetor 500 Conversion to AirSprint

Embraer has delivered the first conversion of a Legacy 450 to a Praetor 500 jet for AirSprint Private Aviation.

The Canadian Fractional Ownership company has another Legacy 450 scheduled to convert to a Praetor 500 this year, in addition to the delivery of a brand-new Praetor 500, also in 2021.

With these additions, AirSprint will have three Praetor 500s in their fleet, and a total of nine Embraer aircraft.

In total, Embraer has already converted 16 Legacy 450s into Praetor 500s in Europe and North America.

“We are continuously looking for ways to elevate and enhance our Fractional Owners’ experience,” said James Elian, President of AirSprint, “The introduction of the Legacy 450 to the fleet in 2016 was a game changer for AirSprint as it opened up the world to our Fractional Owners like never before. With an increase in range of 15% over the Legacy 450, the Praetor 500 is the perfect complement to the fleet and the next step towards providing our Fractional Owners with direct access to many more destinations, more experiences, and more opportunities.”

The Praetor 500 is capable of nonstop flights of 3,340 nm at long-range cruise speed. It can perform one-stop flight missions from Montréal to London, or Vancouver to Miami.

In order to bridge the gap between the Legacy 450’s 2,904 nm range and the Praetor 500’s, several key modifications were made. The level-sensing wiring in the fuel tanks was replaced, the over-wing gravity fueling ports were moved, the fuel-measurement system was relocated, and the wing ribs were reinforced to hold additional weight. These adjustments entailed updates to the flight control systems, including a new avionics load for the acclaimed Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck.

Most noticeably, the iconic swept winglets of the Praetor were installed, and the placards and logos were replaced to officially convert the Legacy 450 into a Praetor 500.

The Praetor 500 features E2VS ― a head-up display that combines synthetic and enhanced vision. Plus, it’s the only midsize business jet with full fly-by-wire flight controls and turbulence reduction capability.

The midsize business jet also features a true six-foot-tall, flat-floor cabin, stone flooring, a wet galley, and a vacuum lavatory.

“We are delighted to strengthen Embraer’s partnership with AirSprint, delivering its first converted Praetor 500,” said Frank Stevens, Vice President, Global MRO Centers, Embraer Services & Support. “We are looking forward to receiving another Legacy 450 in the coming months to perform the same modifications, which will offer even more flexibility to AirSprint’s operations.”

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