Photos: Embraer Assembly Plant Growing in Melbourne, Fla.

Molly McMillin

Embraer Engineering and Technology Center USA

Molly McMillin

Embraer Engineering and Technology Center USA in Melbourne, Fla.

Embraer mockups

Molly McMillin

Mockups of the Embraer Phenom 300 (left) and 100 (right) and Legacy 450 are on display at Embraer's facility in Melbourne, Fla.

Embraer Phenom 300 in assembly

Molly McMillin

An Embraer Phenom 300 business jet in assembly.

Embraer Phenom 300 with Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-E engine

Molly McMillin

An Embraer assembly plant worker in Melbourne, Fla., toils on a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535-E engine for a Phenom 300.

Embraer flight prep supervisor Robert Jones

Molly McMillin

Robert Jones, Embraer flight prep supervisor, oversees final assembly at the company's site in Melbourne, Fla., which assembles the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 business jets. Fuselages, wings and tails come from Brazil for assembly. Painting, interior installation and flight tests are completed before delivery. 

Embraer Phenom 300 in Melbourne, Fla.

Molly McMillin

Embraer Phenom 300 at Embraer’s Melbourne, Fla., facility.

Embraer Legacy 500 interior

Molly McMillin

The interior of a Legacy 500 on the ramp at Embraer's Melbourne, Fla., facility.

Frank Chavez, Embraer supervisor of interior design and customer interaction

Molly McMillin

Frank Chavez, Embraer supervisor of interior design and customer interaction, works with customers to select the colors, fabrics, leathers and other items for the interior of their business jets at Embraer's Melbourne, Fla., site. 

Embraer Phenom and Legacy interiors

Molly McMillin

Customers of Embraer Phenom and Legacy business jets come to the company's Melbourne, Fla., facilities to select the interiors.

Embraer Legacy 450 interior samples

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Leather, carpet and other samples for Embraer's Legacy 450 are ready for customer selections.

Embraer's Mixed Reality Center

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Michael Priest, a product development engineer, demonstrates Embraer's Mixed Reality Center. Priest can set up a 3D scene of an interior or engine to check size, fit and other features before they're actually built.

Paulo Pires, managing director of Embraer's new Engineering and Technology Center USA

Molly McMillin

Paulo Pires is managing director of Embraer's new Engineering and Technology Center USA in Melbourne, Fla.  

Embraer engineering in Melbourne, Fla.

Molly McMillin

Embraer employs 100 engineers at its site in Melbourne, Fla. It plans to double that number as it grows.

Embraer history and roots in Brazil

Molly McMillin

The history of Embraer and its Brazilian roots are on display inside Embraer's Melbourne, Fla., facilities.

Embraer's Brazilian roots in Melbourne, Fla.

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Embraer's Brazilian roots are reflected as it flies the U.S. and Brazil flags.

Embraer Legacy 450 and 500 assembly plant construction site

Molly McMillin

Embraer will build a final assembly plant for the Legacy 450 and 500 business jets, more than doubling its manufacturing space, in Melbourne, Fla.

The Weekly of Business Aviation visited Embraer’s growing manufacturing plant in Melbourne, Fla., which completes final assembly for Embraer Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 aircraft. The site will double in size as the company prepares to build a larger plant for assembly of Legacy 450 and Legacy 500 business jets. The site also includes a new engineering and technology center, which now employs 100 engineers.

Molly McMillin

Molly McMillin, a 25-year aviation journalist, is managing editor of business aviation for the Aviation Week Network and editor-in-chief of The Weekly of Business Aviation, an Aviation Week market intelligence report.

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