Fractional jet company Flexjet has accepted its first delivery of the Praetor 500, part of October's $1.4 billion order with Embraer Executive Jets for the Praetor 500 and 600 aircraft and Phenom 300 light jets. Flexjet is fleet launch customer for the Praetor 500, expanding its fleet of superior midsized aircraft.

“We have long been partners with Embraer, helping to launch aircraft such as the Legacy Executive, the Phenom 300 and the Legacy 450. Now we take the next step in that relationship, making the Praetor 500, the most technologically advanced aircraft in its category, available to Flexjet owners first,” says CEO Michael Silvestro. “Just weeks from announcing our order, the Praetor 500 is here to offer unparalleled speed, range and performance for its category to Flexjet owners.”

The Praetor 500 is the next generation of the Embraer Legacy 450, which Flexjet introduced to the market in 2016 and became a popular component of the premium Red Label by Flexjet offering. In competing head-to-head with the Citation Latitude, the Legacy 450 offers 7.5 per cent more cabin volume and an additional 23 cubic feet of baggage space. The Praetor 500 outperforms both with its larger cabin seats, increased fuel efficiency and range.

Because of the similarities in their platforms, Embraer is able to convert a Legacy 450 into a Praetor 500. “We know what our owners look for in an aircraft and the Praetor 500 has so many of those features, from performance to fuel efficiency to ample baggage space,” adds Silvestro. “And in keeping with our commitment to have the youngest and most modern fleet on the market, soon we will begin upgrading all our Legacy 450s to Praetor 500s.”

The Praetor upgrades the Legacy 450 to more of a transcontinental aircraft with seven hours of endurance. Its range of 3,340 nm is powered by advanced, quiet, fuel-efficient Honeywell engines. The distance capabilities are possible because of the jet's increased fuel capacity and much larger, aerodynamically efficient winglets.

The aircraft offers the lowest cabin altitude in its category, which remains practically at sea level through 27,140 ft and gradually rises thereafter to a maximum of 5,800 ft when at 45,000 ft.

Praetor 500s have advanced technology such as an upper tech panel that displays flight information and offers cabin management features also available on personal devices through Honeywell Ovation Select.