Ultimate Jet #73 - Phenom 300E Flight Test

FLIGHT TEST I 24
T
he conversation flowed as if nothing unusual had happened.
The waiter barely glanced at us and didn’t wince nor smile.
Hemingway segued into wanting to know if you could use
the Phenom 300E to fish. I explained not quite but that you could
instead fly somewhere to go fishing and take all your fishing gear
as the plane has a huge luggage hold. Clearly, the only kind of plane
the great bearded one could countenance was a seaplane. He asked
me if he could land the 300E in his favorite shoal. I decided I’d try my
hand at humor and replied that technically yes but only once. I should
have known better because Hemingway punched me.
The most delivered jet of the decade
I made a mental note to order rum next time and to refrain from
humor in the future. I explained Embraer announced in 2005 it would
build a light jet. Three years later, the Phenom 100 flew and they
delivered the first production aircraft in December 2009. By 2012 it
had become the most delivered light jet in the market. The first 300
was delivered in 2013 to NetJets. By 2019 it was the most delivered
jet for the preceding 8 years and the most delivered jet of the decade
with more than 540 units finding happy owners.
I asked Hemingway, how do you achieve such success? He looked
at me through the hazy veil of booze and grunted something. I took
it to be a request for more information. I explained you start by
listening to your customers for what they want. The 300E cruises
faster. Actually, it’s the only single-pilot jet that can cruise at MO .80.
I explained the new engines produce an extra 118 lbs of additional
thrust for a total of 3,478 pounds of thrust per engine. I explained
they improved the range to over 2000nm with 5 occupants at long
range cruise. He raised an eyebrow and grunted his fishing boat did
9 knots at cruise and could go for 250 nautical miles. I wisely chose
not to say anything. Hemingway punched me anyway.
Realizing a comparison with his beloved boat wasn’t wise, I added it
to my previous mental note. I explained Embraer increased the 300E’s
range so he could could fly further. From South Florida he could go
as far as the Galápagos Islands or even Guyana. That perked him
up a bit. I told him from Los Angeles he could fly to Palm Beach and
all the way to Guatemala. I added he could take 4 friends and their
fishing gear. He answered he didn’t have 4 friends and didn’t like Los
Angeles. I wisely chose not to say anything.