The first Embraer Legacy 650 assembled in China has flown and first delivery of the China-built aircraft is on track for the end of this year. Embraer announced last year that it had formed a joint venture with Aviation Industry Corporation of China called Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry to build the large-cabin business aircraft.The successful maiden flight of HEAIs first Legacy 650 marks an important milestone not only in the Embraer-AVIC partnership, but also in the history of the Chinese executive aviation industry, as the jet is also the first large executive jet assembled by a joint venture in China, said Guan Dongyuan, Senior Vice President of Embraer and President of Embraer China. The flight lasted two and a half hours and assessed the full flight envelope and all systems. Brazilian-built 650s have been in service for more than two years. Meanwhile, Embraer has announced it is helping to organize a trade show in China.
TheChina Regional Aviation Forum 2013 is being held in Ordos in Inner Mongolia and Embraer is working with the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China to run the event. Government, domestic and foreign aviation associations are represented at the event, which is designed to provide a platform for discussion of the issues facing China’s domestic aviation industry.Second only to the USA, China is the country that operates the largest fleet of Embraer commercial aircraft in the world, said Paulo Cesar Silva, President & CEO, Embraer Commercial Aviation. With Asia forecast to lead the growth in passenger enplanements, regional aviation will be a significant force in building China into a civil aviation powerhouse. No doubt this forum will serve as an effective platform for all participants, home and abroad, to discuss regional aviation issues.
