PILOT REPORT

braer believes the new carbon Phenom 300 Specifications and Performance brakes will be much less suscep- tible to heat-related control is- Price (typically completed and equipped) $8.14 million sues, weigh 20 percent less than Engines (2) Pratt & Whitney Canada standard brakes, demand 60 per- PW535E, 3,360 lbs each cent less component replacement Passengers (typical) 1 crew + 8 pax and cool off much more quickly, translating into less time on the Range (w/NBAA reserves, 200-nm alternate) 1,971 nm ground cooling the brakes when High-speed cruise speed 453 ktas/Mach 0.78 operating from short fields. The Phenom 300 should run Long-range cruise speed 391 ktas slightly more than $1,200 an hour Fuel capacity 5,352 lbs to operate based on fuel costs of Max payload w/full fuel 1,142 lbs about $4.50 per gallon, according to a Conklin & de Decker study Ceiling (certified) 45,000 ft of the airplane’s direct operat-

Cabin altitude at ceiling 6,600 ft NIGEL MOLL ing costs. This estimate was a bit NIGEL MOLL low by AIN’s gauge. The factory Max takeoff weight 17,968 lbs in a single unit. It uses the same The interior, designed by BMW Design- believes these numbers will also calculations are performed The Phenom 300’s Prodigy flight deck Balanced field length at mtow (sea level, standard) 3,136 ft standard symbology as the PFD WorksUSA, features fully reclining seats prove their claim that a ­Phenom inside the Smartprobes them- is based on Garmin’s all-glass, fully

KIRBY J. HARRISON J. KIRBY for the eight passengers. integrated G1000. Landing distance 2,621 ft and because it’s digital, rather 300 can be operated for less selves–the air data computer is than analog, Embraer believes call it great. To me, the window than the running cost of a Beech integral to the design–and trans- which produced a weight of just Length 51 ft 4 in it is just one less area for confu- side and ­center posts eat up too King Air 200GT. mitted to the PFDs for display. over 16,300 pounds, well under Wingspan 52 ft 2 in sion if any of the primary elec- much real estate that could eas- A few interesting systems on That means no tubes to fuss the maximum of 17,968 pounds. tronic displays begin shutting ily hide approaching traffic. the Phenom 300 include two with when the ­system needs re- Cloud tops were reported at Embraer Phenom 300 Height 16 ft 9 in down. The unit also functions Goodrich Smartprobes. They placement. It also eliminates the about 10,000 feet so the plan was Volume: 325 cu ft as a third source of AHRS data A Few Systems look like standard pitot tubes need for an angle of attack in- to break out and try some air- Cabin Width: 5 ft 1 in should the others fail. The Pratt & Whitney Canada beneath the cockpit windows, dicator. The Phenom 300 joins work since the weather limited With its light jet Embraer delivers on Height: 4 ft 11 in The synoptics available on engines are flat rated to provide but are really true digital speed the Falcon 7X and the Embraer our ability to shoot approaches. Length (seating area) 17 ft 2 in the center multifunction dis- their full 3,360 pounds of thrust data transducers. All airspeed Lineage in offering this system. On takeoff, the ground run original performance promises play are easy to read, with dia- to ISA+15, one of the strongest was brisk and we were soon Baggage capacity 74 cu ft/530 lbs grams that don’t look like an engine margins in this category. Flying the Phenom 300 climbing at 140 knots to put by Robert P. Mark FAA certification (basis, date) FAR Part 23, 12/14/2009 engineer’s drawing. The crew That also provides the 300 with The startup procedures are some distance between us and alerting system (CAS) priori- more than sufficient bleed air to worth noting in the Phenom those big nearby hills. By 7,000 Number delivered 5 (6/10/10) I didn’t need to see the metar that this aircraft is not simply aircraft offer single-point refuel- tizes critical red messages at the heat the wings, engine inlets and 300 because they’re so simple. feet I’d accelerated to 245 knots for São Jose dos Campos Air- a stretched version of the 100. ing ports, important when stop- top of the screen, followed by tail to shoo away the ice before Embraer planned it that way with a rate of more than 3,500 port (SBSJ) northeast of São The Phenom 100 seats four, ping for a quick turn-around. pounds in the rear area accessi- tioning from some late-model yellow caution messages and it even has a chance to form. all along to conform with the fpm. ATC stopped us at 10,000 Paulo, Brazil, to know I couldn’t flies more slowly and has shorter Embraer claims 14 service fa- ble from the outside only, as well single-engine aircraft already finally the lowest-priority white Like the Williams engines on the goal of single-pilot crew. Once feet and the airspeed climbed have picked a much worse day to range (1,200 nm). Despite the cilities in the U.S., while Cessna’s as another 8 cu ft in the nose for running the G1000 will feel at informational messages. Typi- CJ4, the Pratts–also dual Fadec the batteries are turned on, to about 320 knots indicated. fly Embraer’s new light jet, the swept wing, the 300’s low approach network in the U.S. includes 66 pounds of crew bags. home rather quickly. cal of other Embraer products, controlled–offer a TBO of 5,000 engine start requires a quick ATC continued climbing us in Phenom 300. The ceilings were speeds and hefty brakes make eight company-owned centers There is a knack to getting The takeoff configuration the aural CAS messages feature hours (10 years’ worth of flying twist of the start knob while jumps so a time to climb was ragged, perhaps only 300 to 400 it capable of operating from and 37 authorized Citation ser- into the left seat of the Phenom button gives the pilot a quick a woman’s voice calling your for a 500 hours-per-year flight the pilot monitors. Ignition and impossible to capture. So much feet, although the constant mod- short runways. At high alti- vice centers. Other than price, 300: slide the seat all the way check to be certain he hasn’t attention to “Fire, Fire.” The department). The Phenom 300 fuel flow are automatic, as is tem- for the 10,000-foot cloud tops, I erate rain made it impossible tudes–service ceiling is 45,000 the competition is close. back when you exit the airplane left the aircraft unprepared for Prodigy system also includes includes an airframe useful life perature monitoring and even the thought, as we passed through to be sure. At least there was no feet–the pressurization delivers During a recent trip to Bra- at the end of the previous flight. takeoff before the power levers a synthetic vision option. The of 35,000 hours, reflecting the shutdown should a hot start oc- FL180. We finally broke out into convective activity forecast. A a 6,600-foot cabin. And the Phe- zil, I got to see just how closely Once that’s accomplished, a are pushed forward. This fea- weather radar, of course, now airframer’s airliner heritage. cur. It can’t get much easier than the blue at FL270 as we headed circling approach–tough even in nom 300 is certified for single- the new airplane–a clean-sheet modest sized pilot can climb in ture is particularly useful for a includes both a lateral and a ver- Embraer says two mechanics that. The philosophy behind the for the Embraer practice area. good weather because of nearby pilot operations to boot. All of design– matched the company’s easily. I like the wide-open feel single-pilot-certified airplane. tical scan to make thunderstorm can easily replace an engine in electrical system is pretty simple During my short flight, I did hills–was impossible, not to this capability comes with just a plans from 2005. Embraer’s of the triple 12.4-inch display Finally, I appreciated the single- avoidance that much easier. two to four hours, minimizing too. If a breaker pops, the pilot try some steep turns at 200 knots mention the V1 cuts that are a ­single pilot up front. initial estimates called for an screens of the Prodigy Flight unit backup flight display that On the ground, the Phenom downtime almost anywhere. One simply leaves it alone. All switch- and a variety of other airspeeds. normal part of every training What else could anyone ask eight-seat aircraft capable of Deck 300 system, especially the sits at pilot-eye level on the left 300’s central maintenance com- mechanic can also replace a com- es are within easy reach of the This is a solid, easy aircraft­ to and demonstration flight. for? That’s precisely the question flying 1,800 nm with an Mmo big-aircraft-like FMS keyboard side of the central glareshield. puter (CMC) allows the down- plete windshield in two hours. left-seat occupant. command as long as the pilot is Preflighting meant theextra­ Embraer hopes ­buyers are asking of Mach 0.78 and a maximum for data entry. The Prodigy Like a primary flight display loading of all aircraft systems or The carbon brakes of the Embraer instructor pilot on top of the trim button. Hands- effort of balancing an um- about now. Cessna is watching cruise speed of 450 knots at system is based on the Garmin (PFD), it incorporates an entire avionics fault data to an SD card Phenom 300 are brake-by-wire, Marcio Miranda and I were free steep turns–my personal brella across my shoulders so the Phenom 300 closely because 45,000 feet. The company want- G1000 system, so pilots transi- attitude, airspeed and altimeter for review. The troubleshooting just like those on the Phenom soon on our way toward 10,000- control barometer–were easy I wouldn’t drip water into the this $8.14 million Brazilian jet ed the Phenom 300 to use no system tells a technician precise- 100. Having flown the Phenom Passengers will appreciate the sub- foot Runway 15 for departure. enough. We also had time to new airplane–PP-XVM. ­Despite has the $9.04 million Citation more than 2,950 feet on landing ly which LRU needs to be pulled 100 last year, I was not looking stantial airstair door–complete with Early during the taxi I noticed slow the aircraft for a few stalls the rain pouring down off the CJ4 squarely in its sights. At and no more than 3,700 feet at for minimal ground time after a forward to another brake-by- handrail–as they board the light jet. something wonderful about to try the stick-pusher system. The Phenom 300’s sleek fuselage, 53.25 feet in length, the Cita- maximum takeoff weight. On a problem pops up. Although it wire experience. The factory the 300: Embraer really had shove to the wheel at low speeds is the standard pumpkin orange tion CJ4 is three feet longer than typical 1,000-nm trip, Embraer is not installed just yet, the Phe- people told me the Phenom 300’s gotten the message about those unmistakable even to pilots new to paint with accents of black and the Phenom 300 but is slightly targeted a maximum fuel burn nom 300’s CMC will soon be set brakes work much better than brake-by-wire stopping devices operating jet aircraft. We climbed white stripes reminded me of an smaller in wingspan at 50 feet, of 2,564 pounds with engines to download data in real time the 100’s brakes, which were in on the Phenom 100 that caused to FL300 just to check some aircraft already moving quickly 10 inches versus the Phenom’s producing approximately 3,200 via a datalink while the aircraft the midst of a software upgrade so many pilot complaints. The speeds and fuel flows before turn- although it was still on the 52 feet, 2 inches. The Phenom is pounds of thrust. It would also is in flight or on the ground. thanks to more than a few com- 300’s brakes are wonderful, ing back for landing. We saw a top ground. And the Phenom 300 is only slightly taller than the CJ4 at be critical that the 300 meet The layout of the ram’s horn plaints about their tenderness. with no tendency toward the true airspeed of about 440 knots fast, so fast in fact that like the 16 feet, 9 inches versus 15 feet, Stage 4 noise requirements. control was something I liked in Hawker Beechcraft (on the jerkiness of the 100’s brakes. while burning about 1,400 pph Cessna CJ4, the light jet moniker 4 inches. The Phenom 300’s 17- the Phenom 100 because, unlike Hawker 4000) is the only other As I took the runway at total at a temperature of ISA+8. seems out of place. The Phenom foot, 2-inch-long cabin is within Inside the Cockpit the control used in most of to- manufacturer to offer a carbon SBSJ, the weather was about I took a few minutes to ex- is a 450-knots-plus airplane that an inch or two of the CJ4’s. Bag- During the walk-around I had day’s jets, it is not connected to brake on a brake-by-wire sys- 500 feet overcast and perhaps plore the interior I’d seen on seats eight comfortably and will gage capacity on the CJ4 is 76 cu to spend a few minutes examining a tall post sticking up from the tem, so Embraer is either at the a mile-and-a-half visibility in the ground at the airport. The fly nearly 2,000 nm. That means ft while the Phenom’s is 74 cu ft. the world-class airstair door on floor. It’s merely pulled from head of the pack or about to light rain. I was mindful of the ­aircraft I was flying did not have Chicago from LAX is an easy The Phenom 300 operates with a the Phenom 300. Well balanced, the bottom of the instrument learn some interesting lessons hills that surround the airport as the finished interior designed trip, as is Miami to Denver, with pair of 3,360-pound-thrust Pratt it is easy to open and features panel as might be found in about why the other manufac- LIke its smaller sibling, the Phenom I brought up the power and the by BMW DesignWorksUSA as an aircraft almost full of people. & Whitney Canada PW535Es a handrail for ease of entrance. most light training aircraft. turers have stayed with more 300 has trailing-link main gear with Phenom sped down the runway. would the finished airplanes. I brake-by-wire and an anti-skid system The Phenom 300’s swept wing versus the CJ4’s 3,400-pound- Also necessary was a look at the The swept wing of the Phenom 300 is one indication that the light jet is a clean-sheet Visibility through the cockpit ­traditional systems. If it all that should help even new pilots deliver There were three of us aboard liked the clean, smooth lines of is one of the first indications thrust Williams FJ44-4As. Both 300’s baggage space, 66 cu ft/ 464 design, rather than merely a stretched version of the Phenom 100. windows is nice, but I wouldn’t works properly, however, Em- smooth landings. and not quite a full load of fuel, Continues on next page u

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to curl into a seat that doesn’t complexity. If a single pilot does ­recline far. The Phenom’s lava- lose an engine on takeoff, he’d tory can function as a belted seat better have some strong leg mus- if it’s ordered that way. Even if it cles at the ready. is used only as a bathroom, the Anyone who flies the 300 will surprising aspect is the rigid big- have trouble making a bad land- jet-like door and the two large ing thanks to the beefy trailing- windows that transform the link gear. The runway was wet space from what could have been and I was determined to experi- a ­typical dark little lavatory into ence the aircraft’s stopping man- a space that feels much larger ners on my only landing, espe- thanks to all the light. cially since there are no thrust The weather on the ground reversers. I was not surprised or meant that V1 cuts were out of disappointed. With only a slight- the question, so we tried a few ly firm touchdown I climbed on maneuvers at FL270, where I the brakes and found it quite slowed the aircraft as much as simple to keep the aircraft track- possible and then went full throt- ing straight. Ground spoilers also tle to simulate another takeoff help drain off the speed quickly. while Miranda pulled one engine As we turned off the runway and back to idle. Embraer added headed back for the Embraer

NIGEL MOLL an extra ventral fin beneath the ramp, the rain continued. NIGEL MOLL The 66-cu-ft rear baggage compartment ­fuselage at the tail to aid in con- offers plenty of room for the passengers’ Measuring Up The two windows in the lavatory create the illusion of a larger space. Customers can trollability with one pulled back, opt to replace the lavatory with a belted seat. bags and other gear. as well as an automatic 5-percent Now that we were back on the aircraft seats and wall liners. power boost from the good en- the ground, it was time to see craft is certified at 453 knots. pected 2,564 pounds. Finally, I also like the idea that a light gine. The ventral fin allows the just how well the Phenom 300 Certified landing distance is the Phenom 300 clocked in at jet can offer fully reclining seats aircraft to be dispatched with the measures up against the ex- 2,621 feet versus the plan of 24 EPNdb below Stage 4 limits. that, while perhaps a tad narrow yaw damper inoperative. To me, pectations the company set in 2,950 feet. Takeoff is 3,138 feet Since the airplane comes with to function as a true bed, certain- the 300 seemed to require a sig- 2005. Planned range was 1,800 versus the original estimate of a price tag of nearly a million ly offer passengers a great oppor- nificant amount of rudder pres- nm; the Phenom was certified 3,700 feet, nearly 20 percent less ­dollars less than that of the CJ4, tunity to catch a little nap that sure to keep the nose straight, at just a shade under 2,000 nm. than planned. Block fuel on the Cessna’s sales staff will have doesn’t include a stiff neck or the much more than I would have High-speed cruise was planned 1,000-nm trip came in at 2,403 their work cut out for them try- opportunity to drool while trying­ expected in an airplane of this to be 450 knots and the air- pounds, compared with the ex- ing to best the Brazilians. o

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