Embraer’s Legacy-to-Praetor Conversion Program Makes Delivery to Canada

The Legacy 450 led the midsize jet market with its fly-by-wire flight control system when it debuted back in December 2015—and its original range of nearly 2,600 nm took a boost not long afterward to 2,904 nm. Embraer Executive Jets continues to make improvements upon the model with its transformation program that lifts previously delivered Legacy 450s and turns them effectively into the latest of Embraer’s model in the category, the Praetor 500.

The transition from a 450 to a 500 takes the Legacy’s upgraded range and extends it even further to 3,340 nm (with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves). To make the jump in performance, changes are made to the fuel system, wing structures, flight control systems, and avionics software for the Collins Pro Line Fusion flight deck, and the Praetor’s winglets are added to the Legacy’s wingtips. Specifically, the level-sensing wiring in the fuel tanks is swapped out, the over-the-wing gravity fueling ports and fuel measurement system are relocated, and the wing ribs are beefed up to carry extra weight. Cosmetic changes to logos are also made, and placards are updated as required. The Praetor’s E2VS head-up display combining synthetic and enhanced vision is part of the package as well.

The first conversion of a 450 to the Praetor 500 was completed by the Embraer Executive Jets Service Center at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, and delivered in June 2020. The conversion process can take place at Embraer’s own service centers in Sorocaba, Brazil; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Le Bourget, France.

Now, the company has delivered the 16th conversion in the series to AirSprint Private Aviation, a Canada-based fractional jet operator. The newly crafted Legacy-to-Praetor will soon be joined by a new Praetor 500 on AirSprint’s flight line, and the company has a second conversion on order as well. AirSprint president James Elian called out the 15-percent increase in range as a key determinant for the operator’s decision to select the Praetor 500 conversions. The company had added the original Legacy 450 to its fleet in 2016, soon after the model debuted.