Embraer's midsize Legacy 450 business jet set a new speed record on March 7 on a flight between Portland, Maine, and Farnborough, UK, the Brazilian airframer (Booth Z33, SD23) announced this week at EBACE 2018. The flight departed at 9:25 a.m. EST from Portland International Jetport Airport (KPWM) with two pilots and two passengers and landed at Farnborough Airport (EGLF) at 8:30pm GMT, achieving an average speed of 521.89 mph (840 kph).
The fly-by-wire aircraft landed with fuel in excess of NBAA IFR reserves, as well as for critical operations. According to Embraer, the flight lasted six hours and five minutes, covering a distance of 2,756 nm (5,105 km).
U.S. National Aeronautic Association has confirmed this flight as a U.S. record, and the flight data along with air traffic control documentation, has been submitted to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale for validation as a world record.
The Legacy 450 has a range of 2,904 nm (5,378 km) with four passengers and NBAA IFR reserves, and it can operate at up to Mach 0.83 with an altitude ceiling of 45,000 feet. According to Embraer, the Legacy 450's cabin altitude is the lowest in its class at 5,800 feet and the aircraft's environmental control system preserves a sea-level cabin altitude while flying under 27,050 feet.