Aviation

Embraer Legacy 450 Sets Transatlantic Speed Record between the United States and Europe

Geneva, Switzerland, May 30, 2018 – Embraer’s Legacy 450 medium cabin business jet set a new speed record on a recent flight between Portland, Maine in the United States and Farnborough in the United Kingdom, according to the U.S. National Aeronautic Association (NAA). The record-setting flight occurred on March 7, 2018, with two pilots and two passengers on a ferry flight of Embraer’s new Legacy 450 demonstrator aircraft, which debuted at the European Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva, Switzerland, with new seat designs and the lowest cabin altitude in its class (5,800 ft.).

The flight departed at 9:25 a.m. from Portland International Jetport Airport (KPWM) and landed at Farnborough Airport (EGLF) at 8:30 p.m., achieving an average speed of 521.89 mph (840 kph).

The Legacy 450 landed with fuel reserves in excess of those required for NBAA IFR as well as for critical operations. The flight lasted six hours and five minutes, covering a distance of 2,756 nautical miles (5,105 km).

The Legacy 450 has a full range capability 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 ft. The aircraft’s cabin altitude is the lowest in its class, at 5,800 ft. The aircraft’s environmental control system also preserves a sea-level cabin altitude while flying under 27,050 ft.

The NAA has confirmed that this flight set a U.S. speed record and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale has certified that this flight set a world speed record.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.