In 2005, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, announced a next-generation business aircraft to redefine the private experience. Having spent the previous many decades designing and producing a selection of commercial and military planes, the company was well equipped to come up with something special. What resulted from this journey would become the most popular light business jet, the Phenom 300.

To date, Embraer has delivered over 700 examples of the type. For business jets, a couple of hundred sales can signal a successful design; as you can see, the Phenom 300 is overwhelmingly selected as the light business jet of choice. But what exactly makes this aircraft so unique?

A mighty record breaker

As it happens, the 300E variant, which joined the Phenom 300 family in 2018, but has been most recently updated in 2020, is particularly interesting. According to Flying, when designing the 300E, Embraer’s team utilized what was learned from creating the Legacy family jets as well as previous customer feedback, keeping every aspect that was already optimized and rebuilding the rest. The technology used in the production model Phenom 300E ensures an incredible experience for passengers and pilots alike - though there may be only one pilot.

Photo: Embraer

One of its crowning features is that the aircraft is the fastest and longest-range single-pilot jet. When carrying five occupants and flying at just shy of Mach 0.70, the Phenom 300E travels as far as 2,010 nautical miles (3720 km, 2310 miles); from Teterboro Airport, the light jet can travel to nearly any mainland US destination, in addition to most of Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean. But if you’re looking for top speeds, it can cruise at up to Mach 0.80, significant for a single-pilot affair.

Propelling the jet at such speeds and ranges are a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW535E1 engines, producing 3,478 lb of thrust each. While it may not always fly at this altitude, the 300E can reach heights of up to 45,000 feet while maintaining a 6,600-foot cabin altitude, making it one of the best-in-class performers. And despite all this, among light business jets, Embraer claims that the 300E costs less to operate and maintain than most of its competitors.

Comfort for everyone

Whether flying with one or two pilots, the cockpit has its own distinct temperature zone to keep things just right. Using the popular Garmin 3000 avionics suite featured in various modern business jets, the advanced Prodigy Touch Flight Deck system allows for intuitive interaction. Lastly, according to the manufacturer, the 300E is the first business jet to feature a runway overrun awareness and alerting system (ROAAS).

Photo: Embraer

Embraer’s Phenom 300E has a spacious customizable cabin to complement its aforementioned low cabin altitude, and its luggage compartment is among the largest in its class. Large windows offer ample natural light throughout the cabin and lavatory. Comfortable, fully-reclining seats can be paired with a 2-seater divan, allowing passengers to relax however they choose.

Sources: Embraer (Product Page), Embraer (Brochure), Embraer (News), Flying, Corporate Jet Investor