EMBRAER’S PHENOM 100 AND PHENOM 300 JETS MEET THE MARKET
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Forty-five Phenom 100s are in service, today, and Phenom 300 deliveries will begin soon
São José dos Campos, October 16, 2009 –
Embraer announced the Phenom jets in May 2005,
and has steadily moved forward, ever since. The
Company began accepting orders in June 2005,
even before revealing the jet’s names at the
National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA)
Annual Meeting and Convention, in November
2005. The Phenom 100 had its first metal cut in
June 2006 and approximately one year later, in
July 2007, the first flight came. Unrestricted U.S.
and Brazil certifications were granted in December
2008, with deliveries beginning that same month.
On a similar path, the Phenom 300 first metal cut
took place in April 2007 and the maiden flight in
April 2008. Currently, the jet is finalizing its
certification campaign, targeting first deliveries by
the end of this year.
Phenom 300 – Program Status
The light jet is in the final certification phase, with over 1,000 flight hours accumulated. The
test fleet is comprised of five pre-series aircraft – two with full instrumentation, two with partial
instrumentation and parts of the interior, and one with complete interior for function and
reliability tests.
The first aircraft (PP-XVI) has finished crosswind takeoff and landing, flutter and high-speed
tests. Having concluded natural ice conditions tests, the airframe is currently being evaluated
under simulated icing conditions.
The power plant, fuel, air management, brake, electrical, and hydraulic systems tests were
concluded by the second pre-series Phenom 300 (PP-XVJ). The autopilot and high altitude
takeoff and landing performance were also evaluated by this aircraft.
The third pre-series aircraft (PP-XVK) has completed all of the runway performance tests and
is currently finishing avionics trials.
High Intensity Radiated Field (HIRF), lightning, cold soak and external noise testing have
been concluded by the fourth pre-series jet (PP-XVL). The airplane was also used to validate
the maintenance plan, as well as to evaluate internal noise/thermal comfort and perform
smoke/emergency evacuation tests.
The fifth pre-series aircraft (PP-XVM) joined the certification campaign last August. It was
the first to be configured with a complete interior, featuring berthable seats and a drop-down
ceiling monitor. The jet was exhibited at the Latin American Business Aviation Conference
and Exposition (LABACE), in São Paulo, Brazil, and is confirmed for NBAA 2009, in
Orlando, Florida, U.S., October 20-22. Function and reliability tests are currently underway
to evaluate such important features as single-point refueling, externally serviced lavatory
(unique in the category), and low cabin altitude.
Besides the five aircraft in the flight test campaign, ground-based structural tests are also
advancing. Bird strike and wing ultimate load tests were finished. Fatigue tests have been
completed, including 1,000 cycles required for wing-fuselage certification, confirming that
the Phenom 300 is a robust and reliable platform.
As recently acknowledged by the trade media, the Phenom 300’s price, cabin,
performance, and fuel efficiency make it a serious contender in the light jet segment.
Phenom 100 – Program Status
The entry level jet went into operation in December 2008. To date, the aircraft has logged
over 3,000 flight hours, with a total of 45 aircraft delivered, worldwide, as of September 30,
2009. Although enjoying great acceptance and success, Embraer continues improving the
Phenom 100 to meet the challenging and dynamic business jet market.
Throughout 2009, Embraer worked on developments that further enhance customer
satisfaction. To increase interior comfort, new and stylish cabin seats were designed, offering
ergonomically improved cushions, greater aisle width, plus retractable armrests. The seats
will become a standard item, and existing operators will be able to retrofit their aircraft under
special commercial conditions. A cabin divider was developed, providing passengers with a
real lavatory door, as an option to substitute the current curtains. This increases privacy and
also helps to improve cabin noise levels. A new In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) system
includes such features as XM radio, ambient sound system, capability for passengers to listen
to Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications in the cabin, an interface for portable media
players, and a VIP panel that allows cabin temperature regulation.
Customers will enjoy the aircraft’s operational enhancements. Existing and new Phenom 100
and Phenom 300 clients will be able to configure their jets with the latest version of Garmin’s
Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT) integrated with the Prodigy flight deck. The SVT
presents a 3-D depiction of the terrain, obstacles and air traffic on the Primary Flight Display
(PFD). The Phenom 100’s cold weather operations will benefit from the recent approval for
using SAE anti-icing fluid type IV, which provides the longest holdover time. The aircraft is
the most flexible and competitive in its category and may use any of the four fluid types, with
no performance penalty.
In order to provide comprehensive pilot and ground crew training for customers of the
Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 jets, Embraer and CAE established, in November 2007, a
global training joint venture named Embraer CAE Training Services (ECTS). The first
state-of-the-art Phenom 100 Full-Flight Simulator (FFS), located at CAE’s Simuflite
Training Center, in Dallas, Texas, U.S., has been certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The second
Phenom 100 FFS, located at CAE’s Burgess Hill Training Center, in the U.K., was recently
certified by EASA.
