▁selected ▁to ▁power ▁the ▁new ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁Key ▁features ▁that ▁were ▁reported ly ▁emphas ised ▁in ▁the ▁design ▁process ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁aircraft ▁were ▁access ibility ▁and ▁surv iv ability ; ▁the ▁AM X ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁sust ain ▁a ▁single ▁failure ▁to ▁any ▁on board ▁system ▁without ▁any ▁performance ▁de grad ation . ▁To ▁achieve ▁this , ▁key ▁systems ▁are ▁dup licated ▁and ▁vital ▁systems ▁are ▁protected ; ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁co ck pit ▁arm or ▁was ▁considered ▁but ▁ultimately ▁disc ount ed ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁exp ense ▁involved . ▁The ▁detailed ▁definition ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁project ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁A ▁total ▁of ▁seven ▁flight - cap able ▁pro tot ypes ▁were ▁produced ▁for ▁the ▁test ▁program , ▁three ▁by ▁Aer ital ia , ▁two ▁by ▁A erm ac chi , ▁and ▁two ▁by ▁Em bra er , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁two ▁static ▁air frames . ▁The ▁first ▁prototype , ▁assemble d ▁in ▁Italy , ▁made ▁its ▁ma iden ▁flight ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁This ▁first ▁aircraft ▁was ▁lost ▁on ▁its ▁fifth ▁flight ▁in ▁an ▁accident , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁its ▁pilot . ▁As ide ▁from ▁this ▁early ▁loss , ▁testing ▁progress ed ▁smooth ly ▁and ▁without ▁further ▁incident . ▁The ▁first ▁Brazil ian - ass emble d ▁prototype ▁made ▁its ▁first ▁flight ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁On ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9