QUICK SEARCH:
 
News
Aviation International News
Airshow & Convention News
AIN Defense Perspective
AIN Air Transport Perspective
Business Jet Traveler
AINalerts
AINmxReports
AINtv
AIN Blogs

Look inside Current Issue

SUBSCRIBE NOW...

SPECIAL REPORTS

Bizav Web Directory
Visit our directory of manufacturers, suppliers and service providers

Issue Archives
Search through years of
AIN past issues


CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Search through the latest
events and conferences



REPRINTS

RSS Feed



Ahead of Schedule, First Phenom 300 Flies

Single News Page

Embraer’s Phenom 300 light jet flew for the first time yesterday, months ahead of its planned mid-year first flight schedule, lifting off from the 16,295-foot runway at Embraer’s private Unidade Gavião Peixoto Airport in Brazil for a one-hour, 22-minute flight.

Capt. John Sevalho Corção and chief pilot Eduardo Alves Menini were at the controls of Phenom 300 S/N 99801, accompanied by flight-test engineer Jens Peter Theodor Geiger Wentz, who monitored the flow of flight-test data streaming down to the engineering team. The pilots explored 99801’s flight characteristics and systems operation during the first flight, and during subsequent flights they will evaluate performance and define the aerodynamic configuration. The first three Phenom 300s will fly about 1,400 hours for the certification program in preparation for entry-into-service in the second half of next year. These flights will include function and reliability, ground vibration, flying qualities, flutter, water spray and single-point refueling testing. A fourth Phenom 300 will carry on the program’s maturity campaign.

“The crew is honored to have participated in this important event, representing the great work of hundreds of people whom we congratulate,” said Corção. “The quality of the Phenom 300 design and onboard high technology provided a smooth and pleasant flight, increasing the thrill of flying the aircraft for the first time.”

The $6.65 million (January 2005 $) single-pilot Phenom 300 offers seats for up to eight passengers, a 45,000-foot maximum altitude and Mach 0.78 maximum operating speed. Carrying six 200-pound occupants, the airplane has a range of 1,800 nm (NBAA IFR, 100-nm alternate). Two 3,200-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535Es power the Phenom 300, which features Garmin G1000-based avionics.

Luís Carlos Affonso, Embraer executive vice president for executive jets, took over Embraer’s business jet division shortly before the company announced plans for the Phenom program in 2005. “We are thrilled with the Phenom 300’s successful first flight, which gives us great confidence for the upcoming program milestones,” he said.

Back

Share This Article With Others

Tweet thisDigg thisRedditBookmark on deliciousStumble thisShare on FacebookFave on Technorati

Related Articles

Forecast International Hints at Shift in Jet Market
November 19, 2009

In its latest business jet market prediction covering the next 10 years, Forecast International calls for worldwide production of 11,277...

 
Cessna Delivers Four; Sees Demand for More
November 17, 2009

As evidence of the continuing demand for new aircraft in the Middle East, Cessna handed over four Citations to four separate customers at the...

 
Middle East Falcon Fleet To Grow 50% in Three Years
November 17, 2009

With 50 of its aircraft currently operating in the Middle East, Dassault expects that total to swell by 50 percent over the next three years,...

 
Bombardier Planning G650 Competitor?
November 17, 2009

Although a spokeswoman confirmed last week that Bombardier has no imminent plans to announce a larger jet to compete with Gulfstream’s G650, CEO...

 
ABJ is a right royal success
November 17, 2009

The BAE Systems Avro Business Jet (ABJ), which is based on the venerable BAe146/Avro RJ four-engine regional jet, is making its Dubai Airshow...