Embraer did something very practical in 2000. Instead of designing a business jet from scratch, the company took the ERJ-135 regional jet and rebuilt it for private aviation.

The project was announced at Farnborough on July 23, 2000, under the name Legacy 2000. The first prototype flew on March 31, 2001. Brazilian certification followed in December 2001, JAA certification in 2002, and FAA approval on August 23, 2002. The name Legacy 600 came later, in 2005.

That history tells you quite a lot about the aircraft. The ERJ-135 was already a working regional airliner. Embraer kept the basic platform, then added fuel capacity, winglets and aerodynamic changes, raised the certified ceiling to 41,000 ft and built a completely different cabin around the business-jet mission.

The result is unusual. You are sitting in a business jet, but underneath you are still looking at a regional-airliner platform.
What Makes This Aircraft Different

• The name came later than the airplane.

The aircraft was originally launched as the Legacy 2000. Embraer changed the market name to Legacy 600 at the 2005 NBAA convention. So when you see an early aircraft described as a Legacy 2000, you are generally looking at the same basic program that became the Legacy 600.

• Embraer squeezed more range out of the airframe in stages.

In 2003, aerodynamic changes added another 50 nm of range. The work included changes to the windshield wipers, covers and air inlets, plus surface treatment on the wing leading edges. Small changes, but they matter when you are trying to get more miles from an existing airframe.

• The airframe has real airline DNA.

The ERJ-135 itself entered airline service in 1999, and the Legacy program grew from that platform. The Legacy 600 kept the same basic family heritage while changing the mission completely.

That is one reason the airplane still attracts buyers who want a large cabin without moving into a much larger and more expensive aircraft.

Bombardier Challenger 604 for sale / Range: around 4,000 nm class / Passengers: typically 9 to 12.
The Challenger 604 is one of the first aircraft I would put beside a Legacy 600. It generally gives you more range, while the Legacy has a long cabin and higher passenger capacity in typical configurations. If range dominates the mission, the Challenger gets stronger.

Gulfstream G200 for sale / Range: about 3,400 nm / Passengers: usually around 8 to 10.
The G200 is a closer match on range. Its cabin is smaller, though, so the buyer is choosing between a more compact super-midsize layout and the Legacy's longer three-zone interior.

Dassault Falcon 2000 for sale / Published range: roughly 3,450 nm for the early Falcon 2000 / Passengers: generally 8 to 10.
The Falcon 2000 brings a wide cabin and a very different airframe concept. Later 2000EX versions go considerably farther. Compared with the Legacy, the Falcon is usually the aircraft to study when range, cabin width and Dassault's operating philosophy are higher on the list.

Bombardier Challenger 850 for sale / Range: roughly 3,000 nm class / Passengers: up to 15 to 16, depending on configuration.

This is probably the most natural philosophical comparison. Bombardier also took a regional-airliner platform and turned it into a large business aircraft. The Challenger 850 comes from the CRJ family, while the Legacy 600 comes from the ERJ-135. Both give the buyer that unusual combination of airline-derived airframe and executive cabin.

Think of eight passengers, full luggage and a trip in the 2,500 to 3,000 nm range. That is where the Legacy 600 starts to look very comfortable on paper, with enough cabin space to work, eat and relax without everybody sitting in the same small area.

A 13-passenger configuration changes the range picture. Around 3,050 nm is the published figure for that load, while the longer 3,450 nm figure is associated with eight passengers.

For European international flying, Middle East routes and longer regional missions, the cabin can be more important than another few hundred miles of range. You have three separate zones, a proper galley and a large aft baggage area.

If your normal operation is built around very long sectors with a full cabin, I would look at the Legacy 650 or another longer-range aircraft instead.

The Legacy 600 is simple to understand once you see what Embraer was trying to do.

Take an ERJ-135. Add fuel, winglets, aerodynamic work and a serious executive interior. Give it three cabin zones and certify it to 41,000 ft. The result is a business jet that can carry a lot of people and baggage while keeping the basic DNA of a regional airliner.

Its strongest card is still the cabin. Its main question today is age, especially avionics, engine status, maintenance history and records.

For eight to 13 passengers flying mostly in the 2,500 to 3,000 nm range, a good Legacy 600 is still worth investigating. The individual aircraft is what matters next.

Looking for a Legacy 600 for Sale?
Give us the mission first:

• How many passengers?
• Which routes?
• How much range do you need?
• What year or configuration do you prefer?
• What are your requirements for engines, maintenance and avionics?
• Where will the aircraft be registered and operated?

We will search the open market and our off-market network and come back with aircraft that fit the requirement.